Once I had a Sister
by Alatariele C
Summary: Ever wondered whether Naruto had anyone else in his life, blood relative or no? A big sister perhaps? Enter Haruna, unorthodox shinobi - and Naruto's self-proclaimed big sister. This is a story of what could have been if Naruto had someone to call family. Set in an AU before the Mizuki incident. OC (Not a Mary Sue, thankfully) -Collab with Noetic Sky-
1. Prologue

_**Once I had a Sister**_

_**Prologue**_

* * *

Bleary eyes awoke to bright, almost searing sunlight. _Was it noon already?_ The occupant of the rumpled bed turned a sore neck towards his alarm. The clock beside the bed read half past nine.

Sixteen year old Uzumaki Naruto sat up, yawned and scratched his head lazily. _What was he going to do today again? _

A knock on the door signalled the arrival of the pink-haired bombshell that was his teammate, Haruno Sakura. "Ohayoo! Naruto? You there? Kakashi-sensei's taken the day off! No training – "

Naruto swung the door open, leaning on the door frame. "Huh, Sakura-chan?"

Sakura gave her teammate a friendly knock on the head. "No training, _Baka Naruto_. Day off today, woohoo!" the kunoichi cheered exuberantly at the thought of some girl-time with Ino. Naruto still looked clueless.

"Why? Did someone dump him?" Naruto asked, intuitively.

"NO." The pink-haired huffed in exasperation. "Naruto, I think he's been hitting the sake bottles again. I swear he looked TOTALLY wasted when I passed him on my way to the hospital. I might just check up on him later"

"Oh, okay." Naruto looked at the floor blankly.

"Ne, are you doing anything today?"

"Yeah, I think I'll go off to Ichiraku's."

Sakura sighed. "You and your ramen. Well, later, Naruto!" With that, the kunoichi took her leave. Naruto watched her leave with pensive eyes. Then he closed the door and went off to get changed.

* * *

"Ohaiyo, Naruto," Ino said, her mouth slipping into a wide grin as the blonde-haired jinchuuriki made her way over to the counter. It was a rare thing for Ino to see the young jounin these days, what with his missions and such, but it wasn't exactly new for him to drop by her family's flower shop.

"Morning, Ino," Naruto said cheerfully, peering about the shop.

Ino leaned her cheek on one hand, watching as she looked about. "Need some help?" She looked her over, eyes searching.

The boy paused, mid-search. "Maybe..." he said hesitantly, "Ino...what flowers are good for placing at grave sites?"

Ino blinked. "You're visiting a grave?"

"Well, yeah," Naruto murmured, glancing to several black-eyed susans to the side. "These are nice," he said softly, running a finger over one velvety leaf.

She watched him curiously. "Whose grave are you visiting?"

Naruto drew his thumb across the silky petal of a geranium. "Neechan's."

Her reaction was immediate. "Oh. The one Iruka-sensei went moon-eyed for? He was here this morning actually. When's the last time you visited?"

"About a month? Maybe longer. Been busy, you know."

Ino tut-tutted. "My my, Naruto. You're gonna have to buy her something really nice then."

"I know." Naruto grinned. "So, any ideas? I'll get her something different, so not the usuals." He asked after a moment, looking at her curiously. Then, as an afterthought he continued. "I shouldn't be putting so much thought into this."

She snorted. "Well, I know just how important she was to you, so let's go for something really meaningful." She started looking about the various shelves, ticking off meanings and flower names in her head as she looked at each one, trying to figure out just which one would be fitting for such a thing.

"Something small would be nice. I'll put it in my pocket."

"But of course." It was an odd request, to be sure- whoever thought of putting flowers in pockets?- but this was Naruto, so she would try and find something that would work. "Here, this one will work," Ino said after a moment, taking several carnations out of a small vase, "It's the perfect default...but they'll probably wilt in your pocket."

Naruto's face fell. "I didn't even think about that..." he paused, thinking, then sighed. "Well something is better than nothing, I guess."

Ino began wrapping them, including a small gourd of water which she placed the clipped ends in. "This will keep them good for a while ...or maybe..." she paused... "I have lilies in the back! I don't think you've ever bought them for her. Most people but them when visiting someone."

"Lilies?" Naruto smiled. "That would be perfect, thanks Ino."

"Ehh?" Ino glanced up from wrapping the flowers, and then gave a small smile. "Sure, I guess, if that works then I'll go get them out for you. Be right back!"

* * *

Flower buying done, Naruto took the lily Ino handed him and placed it carefully in his pocket, before starting out the door to his favourite place in town. "Oi! Teuchi-san!" he called, as he lifted the hangings of the Ichiraku Ramen stall.

"Naruto!" called the man from behind the countertop at his favourite customer. "Care for a bowl?"

"To go, please. Miso pork ramen with extra pork, dattebayo!"

"Visiting your neechan today?" Teuchi asked, as handed the boy a steaming bowl of ramen. Naruto nodded, cradling the bowl carefully.

"Pass my wishes on, will you?" he continued. "I've missed her company here."

"Of course." He left the money on the counter, picking up two chopsticks as he stepped into the street. The clear sky earlier had caved in to grey clouds gravid with rain, threatening a downpour. Naruto quickened his pace.

Upon reaching the entranceway of the Konoha Cemetery, Naruto noticed a familiar pineapple-shaped ponytail and stopped. "Were you visiting her again, Iruka-sensei?"

Iruka nodded and gave him a small smile. "You too, Naruto?"

"Kakashi-sensei's off today." He shrugged. "Figured I'd better come; it's been a month since I visited."

Iruka looked contemplative. He cleared his throat. "Of course, Kakashi-san was here before me. I'm just…" he paused. "Well, it's her, you know?"

"Still missing her, sensei?"

Iruka gazed off into the distance wistfully, "Aren't we all?" Naruto watched as the man fingered the scar across the bridge of his nose nostalgically. "Well, the days wasting. I'll see you later, Naruto."

"Hai."

Naruto watched silently as his former instructor's familiar chuunin vest went off into the distance. Taking a deep breath, he headed for her grave, weaving through the stone memorials, all bearing unknown names of shinobi, of children, of parents. The last legacy left by those who had moved on.

He traced his footsteps to a large acacia tree near the edge of the graveyard, its large boughs bending over as if to shelter the grave under it. On its lower boughs a crow silently perched above it, as though it were standing guard.

"Good to see you, neechan." Bending down, Naruto brushed fallen leaves away to reveal a single named, etched in stone.

_Haruna. _

No surname, no ninja rank, no splendid epitaph.

His neechan, self-proclaimed as she was, was never one to brandish her name, despite her fame. Maybe it was a good thing she didn't because her gravestone would have been as big as the memorial stone.

Haruna was a lot of things. She was an avid prankster, a wild child, a ramen enthusiast, and she was much too lively for her own good, much less for the wellbeing of her teammates – _ANBU_ or not. She was rough, bold, brave, as well as being innately and instinctively perceptive. She wasn't from Konoha, but was fiercely loyal to her friends and the village that gave her a home when hers burned with her village. She could also be, contrary to her looks and quirky behaviour, silent and startlingly_ lethal _in a fight. Her attacks were quick and precise, her katana slicing the air with poetic grace before ending her opponents.

Above all, she was cunning and crafty. Her personality contrasted with her skill- she could lay a trap before the possibility even crossed your mind. Once she caught you, you lost.

Haruna was, in short, someone who couldn't be tied down; sneaky and slippery, _spontaneous_.

And Naruto, Iruka and the rest of Konoha never ceased to miss her.

"Heh" Naruto sat down, crossing his legs, carefully balancing the ramen bowl on his knees. "Kakashi-sensei and Iruka-sensei visited again?" he asked, his eyes drifting to the bouquet and single lighted candle he saw arranged on the stone. The broth trickling down his hand reminded him to place his bowl beside them as well. "I brought your favourite." He held it for a moment, half-tempted to sneak a bite or two. He had so much to say to her. So much had occurred since her passing.

He wondered whether she would be proud of him.

"Ano sa..." Naruto began. He stared into the bowl. "hehe, I don't even know where to begin Nee-chan. So much stuff happened, Akatsuki, I even fought their leader. And, and, get this. My awesome teacher, who taught me the coolest jutsu, yeah he was killed- and I got so mad, I even lost control of the Kyuubi, but I'm better now, don't worry. And I met my Dad! My DAD! And, and, you know Hinata yeah she said she loves me! I'm too scared to say it back though… and, and… neechan, you'll never believe this, but the villagers, they accept me! They think I'm a hero now! And it's so, oh…" A soft splash came from the bowl he was holding; Naruto had not even realized his cheeks were wet. "A-and neechan, it's all thanks to you, really! I know you wouldn't take me seriously, but it's true! You started it all, and now I'm not alone anymore and I saved the village and, and… It's been a long time, but I still wish you were here, neechan."

Naruto looked down at the stone headstone with its lighted candle and other bouquets that told of the many others who'd visited recently. "Well, what am I doing here anyway? You know just how much everyone still misses you, even though it's been a while." Naruto's hands brushed his pocket. "Oh, ahaha" he laughed softly as he gently fished the flower out of his pocket. It was intact thankfully, save for a slightly bent stem and a few lost petals. He placed it on the centre of the grave. "Thought you might like it." He imagined her smiling at the present.

He didn't know how long he sat there. Hours could have passed, but he wasn't aware of anything but him and the grave of his sister. _Naruto, Naruto… are you feeling lonely? _He knew his sister wouldn't want to see him looking so sad. But he did. If only she could see him now, if only she could see just how much she had done for him, how much she meant to him. Finally, he smiled.

"Thank you."

He turned, taking a deep breath of the cool air before making his way back toward Konoha.

Behind him, the solitary candle flame flickered, the tiny flame moving with the presence of another.

* * *

**Authors Notes**

**Prologue**

Greetings, readers of my first ever fanfic. If you managed to make it to here without falling asleep at my writing, I sincerely hope you would continue to give this series of mine a shot as a fellow Naruto-fan.

To begin, I know OC's suck most of the time. They're usually way too OP, or become another classic Mary Sue and they don't keep the rest of the canon stuff in character. I know. That was my biggest fear when I started to create this. However, people, as you can see from this prologue even, she isn't another Over-Powered Original Character. I mean, she died, for starters. (Major spoiler, but I'll lay it straight from the get-go). She'll be strong, but not TOO strong. I'm hoping to keep her in sync with the other characters in the Naruto-verse who, in the words of Itachi, "even the strongest of opponents have a weakness".

That aside, now why on earth did I ACTUALLY decide to create this character Naruto calls "Neechan", who Kakashi and Iruka visit and the village all remember? Simple. If we go back to Naruto's childhood, was it actually _clear _how the villagers would hate Naruto, and did any of the shinobi feel the same way? And how was Naruto supposed to act before he met Iruka when he was what, like, 12? Did it take him THAT long to find out that he had a bond with someone? In my book, I decided there was someone in Naruto's life before the series started when Naruto is 12 in the Ninja Academy, and yes, this is only a slightly AU fic so it ties in with the story long before Shippuden. Just thought it'd be nice to add that Naruto had someone else… someone who, somehow, kinda-but-not-really takes after a few fangirls I know… ahem, anyway -Have no fear folks, I appreciate a good fanfic just as much as the next person – and so I hope this fanfic does the great anime and manga that is NARUTO justice!

Thanks very much and I hope you enjoy the rest of the Once I had a Sister series!

- Alatariele C. in collab with Noetic Sky


	2. Chapter 1- Enter Haruna

_**Once I had a sister**_

_**Chapter 1**_

* * *

_High above the streets, masked figures watched the buzz of the village below._

"_He's the jinchuuriki?" a female voice asked in surprise. "The blonde kid?"_

"_Affirmative. Uzumaki Naruto. Caution to keep our distance." _

_From behind a wolf-painted mask the woman watched the grinning kid bounding down the streets with wide eyes. "Why? He's kinda cute. Does he have any friends?"_

_Grim laughter rippled across the huddled group. "The brat's too obnoxious for that."_

"_But has he got any living family?" her voice continued curiously. "Any brothers or sisters?"_

"_Nah," the dog-masked member shook his head with authoritative will. "Don't press on the subject, Haruna-san. The boy's dangerous."_

* * *

She stood there on the street, watching silently. She watched the young blond-haired boy, a grin so wide on his face she wonders if it hurts to smile that broadly, bounding down the street, his laughter ringing off the shop walls.

She didn't really know why she'd bothered to take a look, but the talk of all the shinobi in the mess rooms were unanimous on only one subject. Uzumaki Naruto, Jinchuuriki to the Kyuubi no Kitsune. The story was always the same. _The boy had no focus! He would try the patience of Buddha himself! _She'd heard things from the academy instructors about his horrible lack of any ninja skill and his raucous behaviour. Though she knew enough about the attack six years ago, the girl eventually decided that Naruto should still be given the benefit of the doubt to prove himself.

And on the streets of Konoha, she realised he was far from the dangerous monster she heard of in the office.

The kid sported a blinding orange jumpsuit that caught the disapproving attention of civilians and ninja alike. Perhaps he donned it in order to be noticed, which she pondered upon after glimpsing a few scornful looks from the villagers in the kid's direction.

She couldn't help but be fixated watching the boy elude his pursuers, leaping across rooftops, the foxy grin never leaving his face. One look at the Hokage monument said it all – the four village heroes now sported lipstick and swirly patterns on their otherwise dignified faces. A smile played on her lips behind the impassive mask.

Then the scene went wrong before her eyes. There was something off in everyone's expressions. Though no words were said, it seemed the whole village automatically changed their mood when he appeared; irritated sighs at his last successful prank and transitions from a bright smile at the last customer to an icy glare at the kid.

The Kyuubi container was the village pariah.

She wondered whether the kid noticed it, and if it hurt him to experience that. He never seemed to stop laughing, as if joy was perpetually plastered on his face.

Perhaps he did. Perhaps he did see beyond the childish rose-tinted view of the world children possessed. Perhaps his strength was just in his limitless enthusiasm.

Still, in spite of the boy's poor standards, she was struck by the fierce determination and the will of fire she could see in the boy's blue eyes. The will to persevere, to do well, to become strong. Maybe the kid would turn out to be some brand of decent in the future.

She gave one last wistful glance at the blonde juggernaut before disappearing just as silently as she'd arrived. Duty beckoned.

* * *

The whiskered kid bounded between each stall, captivated by the melange of colors, scents and sounds.

He halted abruptly outside a stand, baby blue eyes widening in delight at the colourful array of masks behind the vendor. Porcelain animal masks akin to those worn by the infamous ANBU members, fearsome-looking _gigaku_ masks and even ones crafted in the faces of past Hokages. So many choices!

"Uwahh!" he exclaimed, peering at each unique item.

The burly store-owner must've had a bad day or something, because he strode over to the boy standing outside his stall menacingly. What he found unpleasant in the boy's excitement thoroughly mystified Naruto, but nothing prepared him for the rough shove that followed. He coughed in confusion as the world tilted and he sat looking up at the stall-owner.

"What's your problem Old Man? I was just looking! Kuso…"

"Get out and scram." The voice was dripping with scorn. "Now!"

A ceramic mask clattered on the dusty street beside Naruto. For a second, tears pooled in his eyes dangerously, that he tersely brushed away. Naruto had no idea why any of them thought he was some sort of insidious being but that was what they thought of him, and they never failed to express that. He hated the way his heart clenched from the icy glare the store owner the man sent him before he turned away and he felt like a coward when he picked himself and turned around, retracing his steps to the isolated corner of the village he called home. Damnit, now they were all whispering to each other.

"…who would allow such a thing here-"

"—someone get that bakemono away —"

"…_that _cursed child?"

"...haven't we been exposed to enough evil—"

High in the treetops, a female ninja broke a branch grimly at the scene below. Dangerous? The small vulnerable kid at the mercy of the villagers… was dangerous?

Konoha wasn't at its best today. The way the villagers who had witnessed it averted their eyes, the way they tilted each other heads to whisper, the pointed fingers… It was if the boy was some demon incarnate, a hideous plague made flesh, as if breathing his very air was lethal.

'What are we doing Konoha?' she screamed mentally at the gathering crowd below. Couldn't they see the folly in their prejudice against the kid? Could they not see he was the jailor, not the criminal? Did they not realise that the unbridled hatred they lobbed at his being wasn't going to be taken without consequence?

_Leave him alone my foot. _ANBU Wolf snorted irreverently. Oh the boss was going to hate her. She could already see the disapproving faces of the other nin when they saw she'd dared to think against the status quo. She knew all too well about the havoc the Kyuubi had wrecked on the village six years ago, and there were many who bore a grudge against the kyuubi. But it wasn't the kid's fault. He'd been _born_that day—how was that supposed to be his responsibility?

She'd seen enough. From behind her wolf-painted mask, she watched the boy's retreating figure make its way as far as possible from the hateful crowd with sad eyes.

And made a decision.

What were her peers going to think, if _the _ANBU Wolf were to decide in favour of the jinchuuriki? Chaos for sure, and a lot of haughty reminders from everyone else. _The kid is dangerous. Don't you know what the kyuubi has done to Konoha? The kyuubi is powerless in its jinchuuriki- the less we see of him the better. As a protector of Konoha, you would do well to make sure the jinchuuriki is kept away from the others. _

…_Oh, Haruna, what could you possibly be thinking?_

She smiled. A foxy one.

_Please. I'm already the polar opposite of what you expect me to be._

Like a leaf, the girl dropped to the ground, taking off her mask and letting her dark hair cascade down her back.

Technically, ANBU shinobi like her weren't even supposed to interfere with the going-ons between the civilians, but the tears in the cerulean eyes had hit a nerve point. So, in a dramatic flourish, she strode up to the vendor (the crowd parted for her – although this time, it was of admiration, reverence and respect. She was ANBU and she had a reputation, and she used it to her full advantage.)

The mask sailed over Naruto's head in a neat parabolic arc before landing almost gracefully on the stall owners head. (If she had used her full force, the throw would have killed the vendor and injured several other bystanders. But, being a well-mannered girl, held back. Besides, cleaning up would be a troublesome task)

"That belongs to you," she said to the man with a sweet, oh so sarcastic smile.

The man stammered at the unexpected gesture and shrank back when he realised the dark-haired beauty was less than pleased. "Uh…"

"Oh, in fact, I think I'd like that," she added as an afterthought, pulling a few notes from her pocket. "Keep the change." The man accepted the cash hesitantly, then yelped as the ninja left a brius on his outstretched hand.

She gave another sweet smile before bounding off in the direction Naruto had run off in.

She found the kid some ten minutes later, sitting alone on a hill overlooking the village looking profoundly miserable. She twisted the mask nervously in her hands, unsure of how she'd give it to the kid. She didn't exactly want to scare the kid or him to get the wrong idea about it. Besides, a masked ninja dropping in on a solitary kid? That was creepy.

Deciding she'd better get it over and done with, she placed her wolf-painted ANBU mask firmly over face before making her way to where the boy sat.

The boy looked vaguely panicked when spotted the ANBU member heading towards him and scrambled to his feet.

"Uzumaki Naruto?"

The boy nodded uncertainly.

After a silent pause, the figure placed the mask she was holding on his face, much to his surprise, before it flickered and disappeared.

* * *

The dull ache in his stomach reminded Naruto that he needed food- and fast. Upon inspection, it was revealed his scant fridge held nothing particularly appetizing so he slipped out of the door in the search of something better.

It was growing dark but he didn't mind. In fact, it was better, seeing there were less people likely to be walking the streets at this time. He spotted the lights of a brightly lit ramen stand at the corner of the street- one he had frequented a few times before. Unlike a lot of the other stores, it was one of the places where he was served without a plastic smile or disdainful glare cast in his direction as he entered.

He walked silently, his mind still reeling over the incident with the mask the other day. After that, the next few days had passed uneventfully, but Naruto still kept an eye out for him or her. For the first time he didn't feel so… he didn't know any words to describe it. But he'd felt so much better than he usually did. The incident left him with only one question. _Who was that ANBU?_

Suddenly, an uncomfortable feeling stirred in his gut. He stopped short, only a few steps away from the stand.

There was someone at the ramen stand. Someone he recognized vaguely, almost certain he had glimpsed the same shock of dark hair before. It was a girl, wearing the ANBU uniform, her dark hair in a ponytail.

He wouldn't move, unsure whether it would be safe for him to continue. He fixed blue-eyes forlornly at the person, anxiously deliberating with himself whether to risk another hateful encounter for the growl in his stomach.

He nearly bolted when the figure turned around; having felt the gaze of someone else's on her back.

In the dark she could just make out the blonde hair and light coloured eyes of a child. The three whisker marks on his cheeks confirmed her suspicions.

The surprisingly enthused call that followed made the hesitant boy jump, and then redden.

"Mmmnarruufftooo! Heeyyy!"

Was she actually ANBU? He must have been mistaken.

The ninja had turned from her bowl, and in the bright light Naruto could see a young, hazel-eyed girl with bulging cheeks watching him with wide eyes and a ramen noodle dangling unceremoniously from her mouth.

The sight of someone so unlike the composed, collected faces of the shinobi around the village aroused more than wonderment in the six year-old.

It did not strike him as strange that she was aware of his name (truth to say, it seemed everyone was fully conscious of his existence and had often expressed their… displeasure at it, through the not-so subtle comments he happened to pick up on a regular basis.) He waved hesitantly, unfamiliar with the public display of any emotion other than irritation or annoyance in his direction. On the other hand, the girl was oblivious to his uncertainty and was happily making space for him at the countertop.

"Don't let me keep you from a good bowl of ramen," she was saying, "Ichiraku is honestly the best there is!"

Obeying the gurgling in his stomach and the enticingly greasy, salty scents of ramen wafting from the stove opposite the countertop, the blonde took a seat beside the mysterious-but-fairly-decent stranger with good grace. "Old Man, miso pork ramen with extra pork- dattebayo!"

"Favourite flavour?" the stranger asked with a welcoming smile.

Naruto nodded.

"Mine too."

"You have good taste," he answered gravely. Cocking his head to the side thoughtfully, he continued, with childish curiosity. "But, I didn't know ANBU members ate at Ichiraku."

"They don't," she answered, shortly. "I do."

"Ehh?"

"Ramen enthusiast," she raised her chopsticks apologetically. "I'm not like the other ninja. Sorry."

Startled, Naruto stared at the strange ninja for a full minute. That explained a lot…

Unsure of what to do next, Naruto shrugged and looked around to find some way to pass the time as his ramen simmered behind the countertop. The girl had resumed her meal once more, digging into the bowl with gusto. She must've just come from a mission, the small boy assumed. Small in his seat, Naruto looked around; at the ceiling, the smoke wafting from the stove, the empty street, as he waited for his bowl. His eyes drifted silently, and caught sight of the mask on the chair beside the girl. It resembled a wolf.

The chopsticks fell from his hands with a clatter.

The girl arched an eyebrow in surprise from behind her bowl of noodles. "Is something wrong?"

"That mask…" he gestured towards the wolf swirls on the ceramic of the mask on the bench beside her.

"Hmm?"

"That mask!"

"Huh?" she lifted the mask up and threw the boy a curious look. "Yyeeaahhh… I'm ANBU, if that's what you were wondering. ANBU Wolf, to be exact. And I like ramen and candy stores."

"Were you- Are you?" Naruto stuttered in spite of himself. He cursed inwardly; this was not what he wanted to say to someone he owed! Taking a breath to compose himself and fixing wide blue eyes on his companion on the seat beside him, he continued. "The other day, with the mask? I never got to thank you…"

"Oh, that?" she laughed. Naruto liked the sound. "It was nothing, really. I was just teaching someone a lesson. I see a lot of things I don't like on my job," she pointed at her mask, "and the guy was one of them."

A faint smile ghosted the jinchuuriki's face. "He's not the only one, but thanks anyway."

"Naturally." She closed her eyes, willing certain memories to stop playing in her head. They weren't needed here. "It's not nice to see. I don't know how you've put up with stuff like that. You must have the strongest will power in the world."

"Hehe, really? Well I gotta be! I'm gonna be Hokage, dattebayo!" He cheered exuberantly, looking immensely pleased with himself.

"You want to be Hokage?" she echoed. She marvelled at the kid's determination, to want to protect a village that kept scorning his very existence. "Not wanting to be rude here, but uh… why, exactly?"

The kid grinned again, and once again the girl admired the innocence, the pure-heartedness of the child beside her. "Well, you've seen it already. I'm gonna train my butt off and make super cool jutsu so I become Hokage- and then the village and everyone else is gonna have to acknowledge me, dattebayo!"

The girl's eyes drifted to the Hokage tower, where she could see the stylized leaf symbol that represented the Hidden Leaf emblazoned. "Hokage, eh?"

"Yeah. I'm gonna train real hard for it anyway. Makes me wonder just what the Hokages did to get up there, you know? Of course, I'll get to do them too, dattebayo! Ne, I bet Hokages go on the awesomest missions ever-"

_Missions!_ Slightly panicked, the ninja jumped to her feet. "It's nine already? Shoot…" ANBU Wolf finished her bowl, stacked it on top of an already towering pile and donned her mask once again.

"Ehh? ANBU-san? What are you jumping around for all of a sudden?"

"For the perks of being a ninja, young one," came the dry response. "Only an hour in between shifts, and no appreciation for prankster genius… Not to mention that this is third time this week the boss has put me on border patrol… so subtle, boss..." She gathered her things, slinging a well-worn knapsack over her shoulder. "How much is it altogether, Ayame?"

"320 ryo," Ayame replied from the sink. "Since you've got such a large appetite."

"If that's the case, I'll pay for the kid too," the girl pulled out a chibi-animal-print wallet. "You hear that Naruto? It's on me."

Naruto looked at her in surprise. "Oh- _NO_, no- it's all right! I've got some money from the Sandaime." The boy fumbled among his pockets and the hastily snatched contents were slowly piling on the countertop. "Just a sec…"

Undeterred by the latter's protests, ANBU Wolf fished out a wad of notes and placed it on the table, much more than what was actually needed. "Later, Teuchi-san! I'm paying ahead for our future Hokage right here, okay?" She winked as she stepped out into the street. "Later, Naruto."

Naruto dropped back in his seat, somewhat dejectedly. The stand was going to be lonely without the strange-but-surprisingly-nice ANBU member.

"W-wait!" Naruto said suddenly, as she got off her seat. The dark haired girl paused obligingly, resting one hand against the frame of the stand. "I didn't get your name!"

The girl took off her mask, grinned, and then put it on once again. "Name's Haruna," she said with a smile. "It's a pleasure to meet you, Naruto-kun." Then she turned and went on her way.

The boy remained silent as he watched Haruna's figure disappear down the empty street, barely allowing himself to enjoy the strange, warm sensation seeping over him.

Newly-found acquaintance or not, it was an unusually nice gesture to someone like him.

* * *

It was a full moon and Konoha dreamt, save for a solitary figure standing guard atop the gates.

On the corner of the town, Naruto was drowning in the agony of an inescapable nightmare. Night had fallen, and there was no one to witness Naruto finally take down the defences he'd built around himself for the day and finally _breathe_. Night time brought no rest to the young jinchuuriki. Night time was alone time, with only his bare, echoing room and his conscience for company.

Then, like a rushing wave, he would remember, with striking clarity, the memories of the hellish day he'd gone through as the village pariah. The simple frosty glares, the way expressions transformed perceptibly whenever they caught sight of him into ones of disdain, hatred and dislike.

That he was _alone. _

That he knew he'd have to accept sooner or later, that the benevolent smiles he'd see on the faces of the parents of the other six year olds around the town were not for him.

That it always was and always would be only sneers, smirks, utter unfeeling towards the skinny blonde boy standing alone on the street, a clowny smile cemented on his pinched face in an attempt to look unfazed by the obvious resentment.

…It was getting hard to breathe.

The silence of his lonely apartment was too loud, the solace of crawling under a thin blanket unable to soothe the ache inside him. He felt the tears gather in his eyes as he fought for memories of the faceless man and woman who had been his parents, as he acknowledged that the longing inside him for a family- he didn't care who or where- just someone to be _there, _was eating away like poison in his veins. Because more than anything in the world, he wished they were here right now, their arms around him, comforting him.

He sat on the blanket and hugged his knees, curling into himself to keep the emotions tamped down inside him. No. He had to be strong, for his own sake. Tomorrow would be better; the whole of the village was probably having a bad day and were in a temporary bad mood that would be dispelled with the rising of the sun next morning. He just had to make it through one lonely night.

His fists clenched the bed sheets unconsciously. Half-formed in the rawest part of his mind was a sinking fear that he was lying to himself, though he tried to tell himself to be strong and not let it get to him. No, he wouldn't lose. He wouldn't let the troubles he was facing get him down, not while he was striving to prove with every fiber of his being that he was _someone_ to the villagers.

The anger he could feel stirring in the depths of his heart scared him. Was his conscience really capable of thinking such dark, hopeless thoughts? Was he really a different person from the one he forced himself to act as in public?

And like a demon at his shoulder, the depressing, hateful thoughts haunted his mind. Was it stupid to try and fight it? Was he a fool to persevere in a one-sided battle, him against the world?

No. He wasn't going to lose. He wasn't going to let the hatred for the villagers, the shinobi, all those who'd pushed him aside on the street, hurt him.

But he was so tired of it all. He'd had too much; he was so tired of this cheerful façade. He could feel the reel slipping from his hands, he was at his breaking point, and he didn't want to be so _alone _anymore-

"Someone…" he whispered faintly into his knees when he could sense the protective shield he'd built around him weakening. "Anyone…"

He could feel something ripping inside, he was going to break and he didn't care so long as it stopped hurting –

"Naruto?!"

Wide, hazel eyes were staring at him from the window. He couldn't move, couldn't speak, every muscle still seized in the ball he had curled himself into. Still shaken from an evening spent in abject misery as he tried desperately to grapple the viciously painful longing for his parents, comfort and the memories of hateful experiences down to a manageable size, Naruto found the unexpected warmth of having someone come to his side, _worrying_ about him to be far more than he could handle.

He watched, wide eyed as the person at the windows' shoulders slumped in relief.

For once, Haruna didn't know what to say. She knew all about being alone. She'd experienced acute isolation more times than she'd have liked in her life and knew the sinking feeling that came with the realisation that no one was going to help you. She knew that it disappeared only when sleep took hold of you, if it ever came. From his huddled frame she could see his limbs shaking, just as hers did when she woke up alone.

And she knew she couldn't have picked a better time to pay a visit to the young Jinuchuuriki.

"Naruto," Haruna asked abruptly. "Are you alright?"

The boy turned away, lest what he was pretending weren't tears made themselves shown. He winced, willing himself to be strong and hold on till she disappeared. "Yeah… I wasn't crying." Naruto replied, conclusively.

"Naruto—"

"Really!" He reiterated, oddly insistent. "I'm um… just… it's allergies for this time of the year." He sniffled, but pretended it was a manly snort.

For a while no one spoke. Not wanting to press the subject further, Haruna climbed in through the window and perched herself on the bed beside him. She wondered where she had failed to notice Naruto looking so…_tired_. The boy was clutching his knees so tightly the knuckles were white and he was shaking with the effort of suppressing the surge of emotions stirring inside him. Her eyes shifted to the trembling, white-knuckled fists on top of the blanket.

Memories she had yet to forget came rushing back, and she knew right then and there, that the two were more alike than she could have ever believed. Naruto pressed fists to his eyes; his eyes were wet and he hated it. It was as if he'd finally succumbed to his loneliness. Haruna grabbed his wrists, oddly calm. "You were feeling lonely weren't you?"

Naruto bit his lip and took a shaky breath. "How did you know?"

The girl rubbed his hand gently. "I used to do this when I was a kid."

"I just…" Haruna's heart welled slightly as she watched Naruto struggle to find the words "I've never had anyone be nice to me. Everyone else is always with someone else and I don't. And it's hard not to cry I just want to let it all out but I have to be strong…"

The girl thought back on her own lonely childhood. Years working her way up the shinobi ranks had taught her to hide her emotions, but she knew all too well the sinking feeling of wanting someone beside you, a comforting hand around her shoulders to make her feel less alone, that the world wasn't so large and frightening. For a moment, her mind shifted to a time, an eternity ago, when she was alone in her room, holding back tears, and her mother came in and hugged her to her chest…

She looked at Naruto, whose smiling trickster mask had cracked after his confession, and saw the blonde-haired boy stiffen as he tried to toughen himself up to block out the ridicule that he seemed to expect Haruna to lob his way. That hurt. If there was anyone in the ranks who still bore a grudge against the kid, Haruna solemnly swore to wipe the floor with them. He didn't deserve this, dammit! And from what she had seen… _The kid's lonely._ And something deep inside her knew that he would change into something far more dangerous if left unchecked. _He needs someone. He needs me. _

"Naruto?" she murmured, getting to her feet.

Naruto turned toward her "Wha-?" The boy's question died on his lips.

Haruna had opened her arms and pulled Naruto in. Naruto stared wide-eyed over the girl's shoulder, his mouth hanging open in shock.

"It's okay to cry." Haruna said quietly, her chin resting on top of his blonde hair. "Sometimes, it's just a sign that you've been strong for too long"

Naruto noticed his vision getting blurry and hot to which his eyelids fluttered in a surprised blink; and wetness rolled down his cheek to drip on the shirt he was being held against. In an attempt to stop the crumbling floodgates from breaking the boy tried talking calming breaths but all that came out was a sob. And what really threw him was that at some point, he had brought his arms around the girl and was sobbing into her shirt.

"It's not your fault, Naruto..." she spoke into his hair as the storm of shaky sobs continued. "You say that you've never had anyone? Well I'll be your someone okay? I'll be here, you can always trust me"

And from the folds of her shirt, the little boy nodded.

…

Haruna was just nodding off when she heard soft snoring from the bundle in her arms. The blonde boy was fast asleep. She carefully set him down on the bed, arranging the blankets round his small frame. After pressing a soft kiss on his forehead, she turned around and halted as a small hand grabbed her own.

Tempted to be amazed at her brilliance, Haruna smiled, and fell asleep by his bedside.

* * *

**Authors Notes**

**Chapter 1**

Hey! So, I've finally written the first chapter and enter Haruna, the decidedly unorthodox ANBU agent who so happens to become Naruto's big sister. Funny isn't it, how they're both learning that everything isn't always what it seems. That's pretty much the underlying theme of this chapter. Appearance vs. Reality. What's that quote I always see on every deep-quote-Naruto fanart? ""_It's not the face that makes someone a __monster_. _It's the choices they __make with their life._" Yeah. And Naruto's no monster. He's an adorable little cutie-pie.

Soo.. yeah, if you're nice enough to take my word that Haruna is no Mary Sue, she really is a rebellious person. Or rebellious in the sense that she won't sit back when something truly wrong is happening before her eyes. I still don't understand WHY anyone would even hate Naruto as a kid though. I'd invite him to tea parties every day if I was a normal Konoha citizen. Same with Gaara. (Isn't Naruto just the cutest thing EVER! Nawww, I could be in Haruna's shoes when she sees him alone in his apartment and do the same thing. Little cutie pie jinchuuriki.)

Oh, and its not going to stay fluff for very long. Thanks to Noetic Sky, who is the master of angst, fluff and happiness in this amateur story should be enjoyed while it lasts. No flame, guys, please. I know what I want in fanfiction as well.

Stay tuned for Chapter 2, which I will update as soon as possible. Oh, and be so kind as to review. It's nice to know people are actually reading this ^_^

Till then,

Alatariele C, in collab with Noetic Sky


	3. Chapter 2 - Brother-Sister-ness

DISCLAIMER: I do now own Naruto or any of the characters except for Haruna.

* * *

_**Once I had a sister**_

_**Chapter 2**_

Brother-Sister-ness

* * *

Naruto woke up to dancing sun motes and the premonition that something was not right. For starters, he was lying on his back, the blanket tucked at his chin. For a kid who always woke up either on the floor on in positions that defied the grade on his flexibility, this was alarming. Secondly, he'd slept more soundly than usual, thanks to Haruna's intervention the other night, and his battered alarm clock showed that school was starting in half an hour.

Rubbing the sleep from his eyes, Naruto turned around the corner to his kitchen.

And stopped in surprise.

There was a box on the table-top, with arrows pointing at a tag. That hadn't been there the night before. With "BEWARE THE KUNAI BOMBS!" written in block letters, next to an attempt at a spooky font with the words: "PULL THIS… IF YOU DARE!"

Naruto wasn't stupid, whatever his abysmal report card said. His first reaction was to ignore the threats. The whole rig looked too... amateurish for something of that scale. But she was ANBU. There was a possibility that the trap was made for that exact purpose, to lower his guard. What if she'd made it look completely obvious to trick him and had actually put one in? What if this was a text to see if he was worthy to be Hokage? (After all, wasn't everything?) Or was it all just some lame joke?

Pictures of exploding kunai bombs and shuriken devices danced across his vivid ANBU even allowed to do stuff like this? He could just ignore it, right? _What the hell? I'm in my own home, and a box is scaring me? I'm gonna be Hokage, dammit! _If that stuck-up butt of a Sasuke heard about this… the boy shivered at the thought. "I'm gonna pull it!" he said aloud to the empty apartment. "I'm gonna pull it, and I'll tell everyone I did when I'm Hokage, dattebayo! A Hokage knows no fear!"

Reaching out a hand, he tugged at the tag, and then hit the floor as party blowers blared.

A letter with neat handwriting on it bordered with chibi doodles of what looked alarmingly akin to certain jounin he'd seen around town popped out amidst showers of golden confetti.

…Kunai bombs?

'OHHAYYOOOO!' stared at him in huge letters. _'I've got a mission on today, so I took off. But not before rigging this awesome thing out of the ramen box holder- I'm so creative. Heh heh.' (_A chibi demon was inserted here.) _ANYWAY, there's lunch in the fridge (I COMMEND YOUR RAMEN SUPPLY) and I packed your school bag- it's next to the door. Have a nice day. And don't forget to clean up the confetti. All my 3, Haruna' _

Without warning, the box blew another party blower and another strip of paper landed beside the first.

'_P.S. If you're late to school, you'll never be Hokage. Food for thought.'_

'_P.P.S. Congratulations! You have officially been introduced to Haruna, trickster extraordinaire and the most un-shinobi-like person you'd ever meet! Go now and tell the world that your great exploits young Uzumaki! (And clear up the mess for me.)'_

Naruto stared at the letter for a full minute. The last of confetti sprinkled unceremoniously to wooden floor of his apartment.

Tempted to laugh at his own stupidity, Naruto dismissed the thought without inner fanfare. He was alive, there was lunch, and his bag was ready. And he'd befriended Haruna, who, from his previous experiences was decidedly the strangest ninja he'd ever met. Every Hokage needed a good sidekick; just wait till he told everyone!

And the nonchalant ticking of the clock in his bedroom subtly reminded him that school was starting in twenty minutes.

* * *

The bell rang, signalling school was finally over for the day.

School that day had been particularly dreary, even by Naruto's standards. Naturally, his senseis had treated with cold contempt; he was pummelled in taijutsu, pathetically …again…. And DANG IT; he couldn't eat the bento box Haruna had prepared! He had to spend all of lunch hour in the library, courtesy of his failed paper, as the rest of the gakis ate and chattered together outside. Oh well, at least that pale-eyed girl had shared a cookie under the desk or he really wouldn't have made it.

Nonetheless, his stomach was growling madly as he sauntered out the school gates.

"OI! NARUTO!"

Naruto turned in surprise. It was Haruna, waving from the school gates- wait, was she _waiting _for me? –in ANBU gear of course. "Don't you have a mission today?" he asked as she made her way over to him.

"I finished it," came the offhand answer. "SO! Did you like the lunch?"

"Umm…" he looked the other way. He had to be careful here; he didn't want to seem ungrateful but Naruto got the uncomfortable feeling his companion could sense a lie a mile away. "Uhh, yeah! I liked it."

There was a pause. "You didn't get to eat it, did you?"

Busted. Subdued, he shook a blonde head.

"Why not? You get in trouble?"

He nodded reluctantly. "But, I'll eat it when I get home, promise! It smelt so good I was about to eat it during class, but then Iruka-sensei put a test on so I couldn't and-"

"Let's go eat it somehere then! You must be ssttaarrrvvinnnggg!" and lest the boy change his mind, Haruna grabbed his sleeve and dragged him across the street.

"I haven't had a good picnic in a while! I'll get some more stuff too! Do you like cookies? Dango? I bet you like dango! Here, hold my stuff – I'll go get some, really quickly!" and with that, the girl unceremoniously dumped her katana (her katana?!) and knapsack in Naruto's arms and whirled off to the candy stores.

Naruto stood in the middle of the busy street, too surprised to remember his worries for the moment. He still hadn't fully recovered from his encounter the night before and that attempt on his life that morning. Something like awe and complete bewilderment stirred inside him. If this was the 'someone' he had been wishing for, maybe fate was just ironic. He'd imagined someone, well… super-awesome, strong and silent type-ish. _Definitely_ not the weirdest, most-un-ANBU-like ninja he had chanced to meet. He still had no clue as to why the girl had bothered to wait for him at school, or even to acknowledge his existence.

And now he was standing in the middle of the street, waiting, bewilderingly, for a certain unorthodox ninja to make her way back from the candy store. It still hadn't registered to him that he was actually going on –what was it again? A picnic! - with her. As if the day could get any stranger…

"Naruto! I have acquired the treasure!"

Speak of the devil. Haruna raised the bags she was holding excitedly, for some reason giggling like an idiot. "Now come on- we need to clear some distance fast!"

"Huh?" The crash that followed as pink smoke clouded the shop window the girl had just exited from explained the girl's sudden disappearance in the opposite direction.

Jolted into action, the boy caught up to and followed behind the girl as they passed Naruto's rundown apartment building and ascended the hill behind it. They got a lot of curious looks along the way, Naruto noticing how they all parted to let them through. He assumed it was because he was with an ANBU member. Haruna on the other hand, got the feeling that they assumed the ones higher up were assigning an ANBU person to keep him in order. Either way, both were glad when they ascended the hill and could sit down in peace. Naruto sat down and drew his knees to his chest, resting his chin on top of them and staring down at the scenery below. It was a pretty high hill, high enough that some of the training grounds could be seen. Haruna sat down next to him, and neither spoke for a while.

"Woohoo!" she cheered exuberantly at the sky. "Spur of the moment- I never got to use those smoke bombs before."

"Haruna-san," Naruto lifted his head from his knees at the laughing brunette beside him. "Are you even allowed to do that?"

"It was ninja training! Dinner entertainment; it was for a good cause!" she sighed in exasperation. "And now I'm hungry! Let's eat!"

This being a new experience for him, Naruto decided he liked the company. Haruna had arranged a blanket (which she seemed to have procured somewhere from the depths of her knapsack) and unceremoniously dumped the contents of the candy store bags on it. Chip packets, pocky sticks and treats he never had the money to buy graced the makeshift table. She also pulled out the bento box from Narutos bag and pushed it towards him eagerly. "Go on, open it up," she urged. Naruto did, and yelled promptly when cold, aromatic liquid trickled out. "EHH?"

"Awesome, right?" she sighed, immensely pleased with herself. "I did what I could with the resources I had."

"A-ano…" Naruto gulped, eyeing the soggy mess in the container. "Did you just put cup ramen in my lunch box?"

"With pork slices, young one," she added, helpfully. "With pork slices."

Obeying the gurgling in his stomach and the toothsome morsels splayed out before him, Naruto decided to cut loose and enjoy it all. Ramen was ramen, and there were sweets in ample supply. Still, a question gnawed at the back of his mind.

"So, um… Ano…"

"Mmm?"

There was a pause. When nothing seemed forthcoming, Haruna continued. "Yare, yare, Naruto. Are you having trouble coming out with what you wanted to say?"

Naruto shook his head, but remained silent. Haruna sighed, "I wanted to visit you because I'll be away for a while; got a mission up north. I'll need to make up for lost time, ne?" Naruto nodded, lighting up at the thought that she_ wanted_ to spend time with him. He wondered whether she knew he'd never had a picnic with someone before. "It's nice, don't you think, Naruto?" Haruna continued, as if addressing his inner monologue. "Now, all questions answered, let's eat!"

"YOSH!" Naruto then complied with good grace, munching happily on the meal. Was this what a picnic was like? He reached for a chip as he finished the cold ramen in his bento box.

"Naruto, you spilled some ramen down your shirt. You got to be neat okay! Be a clean eater!"

Haruna reached forward to wipe off the stain but Naruto protested when he saw her own appearance. The first few minutes of 'cutting loose' had Haruna with elaborate chocolate swirls on her face and somehow, she had got a piece of mocha on her forehead.

"Eeehhh?! Haruna, you're one to talk, dattebayo! You're dirtier than me!"

"Hmm?" she said over a mouthful of pocky. "This? These are the marks of war, young one."

Naruto grinned. It had been a long time since he had felt so at ease, or even laughed.

"Ne, Haruna san, let's do this more often!"

* * *

In class the next day, it finally hit him.

Naruto couldn't deny it now; he had become rather attached to Haruna –that quirky, weird ANBU girl-, and the possibility of his newfound friend disappearing on her mission filled him with dread. "Sensei?" he asked, "Do shinobi die on missions?"

Iruka looked in surprise at the blonde boy at the back of the room who was, surprisingly, paying attention to his lecture. "Why do you ask, Naruto?"

The boy shrugged nonchalantly. "Just because..."

"Well, to be a shinobi means to put your life on the line…" Here Iruka hesitated, but decided it was better for his students; the future protectors of the village, to face this fear, as it most likely come to pass. "So yes, they do. They die for our village, and are remembered for their sacrifices. Does that answer your question?"

"Not really. I just want to know if ANBU people did."

"Well, I guess it depends on their opponent. I'm not going to lie and say that ANBU and jounins _don't _die on mission, but most ANBU are pretty capable, so I don't think you have anything to worry about, Naruto."

Naruto smiled, and firmly reassured himself that Haruna would always come home. No matter where she was, or what super-dangerous mission she was doing, Haruna would come back.

For the whole of the first week, Naruto looked around hopefully after school for a familiar face. The other masked ninja he sometimes spotted made his hopes rise, but they were all too eerily silent and as impassive as their masks implied to be Haruna.

The week after that, he slept with the lights on, just in case Haruna couldn't find his apartment in the dark.

When still no Haruna came into his apartment at night or came after school, Naruto took up position near the village gates when school ended, waiting there with a few ramen cups to keep him occupied until the jounin at the gates told him to head off home.

She's still not here, Naruto was beginning to worry.

_Come home quickly. Come back quickly… neechan…_

_Don't leave me alone._

* * *

Naruto jerked awake, startled by the creeping light of dawn through his window and someone, or something, rummaging in his kitchen.

"…where's the nutella? It's gotta be here somewhere!"

Nauto tumbled out of best so fast he knocked his knees on the floor with a loud thud. Tearing around the corner, he skidded into the kitchen, wild-haired blonde and nightcap askew, staring wide-eyed at the ANBU brunette next to the stove.

Haruna looked the same as always.

"Yo, Naruto," she greeted cheerfully, as she poured the contents of the pot she was holding into a bowl. "I made breakfast."

"H-Haruna-san?" said Naruto, and couldn't think of anything to say next. Fortunately, this wasn't a problem.

"Maan, you will not believe what I had to go through to get a decent breakfast for the past few weeks! I mean, even I had to force my teammates to have some breakfast on missions. Once, I even had to CORNER the guy against a tree and force some salmon onigiri down his throat. Come on, really?!" she poured water into another cup of ramen, chicken flavoured this time. "Don't know what they have against breakfast- stupid male pride... Besides, the first meal of the day is the best time to eat as many high-sugar energy foods possible – OH WAIT THAT REMINDS ME –where's the nutella? I was looking forward to some good food after all our rations, but HEY, WHA-"

Feeling dizzy, Naruto walked over and wrapped his arms around the loquacious girl by the stove. "N-Naruto?"

He breathed in, the tight feeling in his chest loosening as relief swept through him. She was back! She was here! "YOU CAME BACK!" he cried.

"Huh? Oh, well, I said I would, right?" she looked uncertainly at the trembling boy clutching her sleeve. "What, did you miss me?"

Buried in the folds of her clothes, Naruto nodded. "I was worried you were dead."

Returning the hug, Haruna ruffled the little boy's hair fondly. "Seriously… I'm totally fine, Naruto." She walked them towards the table and sat him down. "And anyway, I missed you too!"

Naruto sniffled, and pretended it was a manly snort. Haruna knew better and laughed. "EAT. I'll get you some nutella after work."

Feeling much, much better, Naruto pulled the untouched cup of ramen towards himself, picked up the extra pair of chopsticks laid out on the table and set to it with a will. Haruna had gone off to explore the rest of his apartment.

"Ne, Naruto, is this where you honestly live?"

Naruto looked around the confines of the apartment he had called home since he left the orphanage a long, long time ago. It really wasn't very big, with the biggest room being the kitchen, living room and bedroom rolled into one, which opened into a narrow hallway with the bathroom on one side and the foyer on the other. There were no decorations anywhere, save for little plants crowded on the windowsill, paint peeled on the walls and there was nothing vaguely resembling a plaything for the boy except a makeshift dummy that Haruna vaguely recognised as the dark-haired boy she'd seen with that Uchiha Itachi at the park.

"Yeah," the blonde mumbled into his noodles half-heartedly. "B-but it's fine, dattebayo. I spend most of time outside with my awesome-ninja training and you don't notice it much when you're eating ramen…"

"Mmmm…" Haruna looked around the room thoughtfully, the beginnings of a plan forming in her head. She shook her head, she would do that later. Focusing on the task at hand, she handed Naruto a much-needed napkin. "Eat up, we'll leave as soon as you're ready."

"YOSH!" proclaimed Naruto, gulping his noodles down with legendary speed. "What time is it? Are we going to be late for school? Thanks for breakfast! Hurry, Haruna-san, hurry! It's not good to be late!"

"Yare yare, I hear you." Haruna did a tornado clean-up of the kitchen, piling the rinsed dishes on the benchtop and sweeping the ramen cups strewn across the table into a rubbish bag she'd magically whipped out from her pocket. Naruto hopped on one foot uncertainly. He certainly WAS ready to go- well duh, a rinse in the face and you're off- but Haruna was still cleaning up. She turned around and saw the boy standing idly on the living room.

"I'm ready already," Naruto replied to the quizzical look on his companion's face.

"You're NOT ready. Did you even brush your teeth?"

"Err… no?"

He yelped as an orange toothbrush and a full tube of toothpaste came flying at him. "Now brush your teeth – and perfectly! Or else!"

Naruto brushed his teeth, running to show their pearly whiteness to Haruna. She did not pause and barked at him to floss while she wiped the benchtop down.

"Comb your hair!"

"My hair doesn't need coming, dattebay-"

He yelped again and ducked as a comb embedded itself on the wall beside him. "Naruto." She fixed him a serious stare. "Comb. Your. Hair. _Now._"

Naruto worked up a sweat that would have pleased even Gai-sensei that morning as he ran, dodged and caught all sorts of personal hygiene requisites and clothing articles from Haruna. (IT'S A NEW SET OF CLOTHES FOR TODAY! Your goggles are crooked! Fix that zipper now or die! Is that _dust _on your sleeve?! Check that you have all of your scrolls! Wash with soap, not just water! (Did you change your underwear?) Your hands are dirty- wash them well!)

By the time Haruna was done with him, Naruto was sparkling clean. "Well," she beamed at the boy, "don't you look CUTE?!"

Naruto screwed his face into a comical knot. "Oh well," Haruna said off-handedly, "If you don't like it, be glad I decided not to slick your spiky hair down… I'll only do it special occasions. Why? Because I'm evil like that." She cackled, evilly.

"HARUNA-SAANNN?!"

"Jokes, jokes!" she said, hands up in surrender. Rolling his eyes, Naruto picked up his school bag, checked he had all his ninja tools and packed the bento box Haruna handed to him (_watch out, the ramen broth might leak_) into his bag. Readjusting his goggles, he walked out of the front door; school started in half an hour.

Satisfied that they were leaving everything in decent order, Haruna started after her hyperactive companion.

At the school, Naruto's homeroom class was in disorder. "Did Naruto get zapped by the ANBU again?" Kiba asked in surprise when he caught sight of the class clown walking into school beside a tall, pretty ANBU girl.

The other children crowded against the window excitedly.

"Whoa, she's so pretty!"

"Ne, is he gonna be expelled?"

"Maybe the ANBU girl is dropping him off for a mission?"

"Why doesn't she have her mask?"

"Did she catch him doing something stupid?"

"Maybe she's our substitute teacher?"

"Hn." All eyes turned to the raven-haired boy who sat alone, uninterested in the news of the class dobe. "You're all fools. Just ask Iruka-sensei and he'll probably tell."

When they arrived at the classroom, which Haruna decided to accompany Naruto to despite his refusals, there was a faint pink on Iruka-sensei's cheeks which his tan skin didn't mask very well.

Haruna slid open the door and Naruto bounced in. "OOHHAAIIYYOOOO EVERYONE!"

There was a stunned silence when they realised it wasn't Naruto who'd yelled. His one came after, louder this time. "YEAH – OOOHHHAAAIIIYYOOOOOOOO- DATTEBAYOOOOO!"

A nervous titter rippled through the otherwise silent class. "Whoa, this is your class, Naruto?" Haruna asked, giving her audience a bright smile. "Nice to meet you, everyone!" The gakis, obviously taken in with her charms, returned hesitant waves back. From the front of the classroom, Iruka stepped forward. "H-Haruna-chan, I mean, Haruna-san-"

"Ohh, Iruka?" Haruna turned in surprise. "Long time no see!"

"Are you here for a misson or-"

"Mission? No, not today." Haruna gave Naruto's hand a squeeze. "Actually, I'm just here to drop my little bro off to school"

Naruto looked at Haruna in surprise, unsure whether he had heard right. Iruka, and the rest of the class likewise, looked just as surprised as him. "Little brother?"

"Naruto. My little brother." She turned to Naruto, "You're okay with that, aren't you?"

Beside her, Naruto's face was slowly morphing into a giant smile. "Hai, dattebayo!"

Negotiations concluded, Haruna decided it was high time she went off to work. "Well then, I'll take my leave. Have a nice day, Naruto-CHAN, Iruka, kids!" With a grin, she dived out the window, leaping gracefully onto a rooftop before vanishing in a puff of smoke.

Once she had gone, whispers began around the classroom.

"I can't believe he's with an ANBU!"

"Whoa... she's awesome"

"An ANBU kunoichi is Naruto's sister?"

Even a certain Uchiha contributed a dismissive grunt to the conversation.

As Iruka settled the children down enough so they could finally start the lesson, Naruto's heart swelled; there were no bitter whispers, jeering, mocking, now that Haruna was his self-proclaimed sister.

For once, the gossip felt good.

* * *

Naruto walked up the stairs to his apartment, and groaned in frustration when his door wouldn't budge. Now this was a new experience. He was locked out. Of his own apartment. _His own apartment, dammit!_ He banged the door with his fist, not caring about the complaints he was sure to receive from it. "OI! THIS IS MY HOUSE- DATTEBAYO!"

The door opened a crack. A familiar head peeked out. "Oh, Naruto! School's finished already?" Haruna asked from a mouthful of cup ramen. "Stay out for a sec. I'm not done yet."

… NOT DONE YET?!

"A… WHAT?!" he raised his voice a decibel higher than it already was. "What are you doing in my house?!"

"Ask no questions and you'll be told no lies, young one. All will be clear soon."

"Is that MY ramen?! NEECHAN!" Naruto wailed when he heard the lock click once again.

He was leaning sulkily against the railing of the stairs when the door finally opened again. Haruna caught the empty ramen cup from the dustbins below thrown at her effortlessly and threw it straight back at its giver. Unfazed, she announced with important air that the abode was prepared accordingly for the Lord Naru-chan and ready for his viewing. Naruto, however, was less than amused.

"Naru-chan my a%#! I was waiting for ages!"

"Language, Naruto," sighed his sister, without much conviction.

With a snort, Naruto pushed past his sister and stomped inside the apartment. He stopped short at the entranceway. There was no trace of the mess he was accustomed to. The room was brightly lit, and the scent of lemon graced the air. The crumpled poster of the Konoha Leaf insignia he'd acquired from his first days in the Academy was hung up proudly on the wall, which, to his immense surprise, was rid of the cracks that had been present since he had first moved in. His bed was clean, the floor shone, and a basket full of folded laundry stood beside his chest of drawers.

Rage forgotten, he stared around his made-over apartment. "A…awesome…."he breathed.

Behind him, Haruna was hopping up and down excitedly and pointed out that he had better go look at his kitchen. He did, and saw that his table was set with a tablecloth, the sink free of dishes and the broken kitchen light was fixed and shining brightly.

"So? Do you like it? I know you like it!"

"Like it?" Naruto turned and showed his sister a watery smile. "I _love_ it neechan. Thanks so, so, so much!"

"Oh, it's nothing much, really," Haruna replied, offhandedly. "I mean, I had to do _something, _you know, hehehe."

"Well," he took a deep breath. "It's awesome, dattebayo!"

A brief moment of quiet settled between the two as they relished each other's presence.

"Oh, and I wanted to give you this." Haruna handed Naruto a carefully wrapped present, whose shape gave no hint to its contents. "I kinda didn't really know what else would have suited it, but here you go. Present to sign our brother-sister-ness."

Naruto ripped the paper off to reveal a jar of chocolate- "Ehh? What's this?" he asked in surprise, turning the jar over in his hands. "Nu-tel-la?"

"Food for the angels, Naruto. Food for the angels." Haruna took two spoons and dug out a more than generous portion of the nutella. She held one out to him. "A toast, my dear little brother, to our brother – sister ness!"

Naruto's blue eyes widened, tears forming at their edges.

_Brother – sister ness huh?_ He sniffed. "I'll toast to that dattebayo!"

* * *

**AUTHORS NOTES:**

**Chapter 2**

Haha! So how do you like this chapter guys? (OK fine, it's so fluffy I should just change the genre to fluff and drabble. But wait guys, have patience. The story isn't just sunshine and rainbows. Except for, like 99.9999987% of this chapter.) Here we see Haruna's got a knack for pranks (cue in Naruto's prankster nature here) and that Iruka seems to harbour… feelings… for said ANBU Wolf. *cough cough*…ANYWAY, and the food bits added in here as well? Fanservice people. I love reading about food…. Nomnomnomnom.

In addition, I apologise to you all for the odd grammatical error that pops up now and then. Guys, these chapters were put through fire and ice, and monsters of the dark and whatnot, before uploading. But even so, I realise -TOO LATE- the mistakes that slip in. So uh… GOMEN. GOMENASAI. FORGIVE MY SORRY CARCASS ON THE ROADSIDE. Please, just spare the baby pandas in the wild who are left orphaned after the monsoon rains. Spare them from your Brutally-Honest-Reviewer-itis Syndrome. Do the right, shinobi thing today, and acknowledge these mistakes for being ninja enough to pass through the eyes of F7 Windows Spellcheck. They're better at lying undetected than Yamato tailing someone. (Heh, did you see what I did there?) I'm sorry guys. I hope I make up with it for by potential love interests. ^_^

Hope you all enjoyed this chapter as much as I did. It just oozes fluffy marshmallows and rainbows.

Don't mind the title. I suck at creating them, so this was just off the top of my head. Still terrible whether i try or not, but don't judge a fanfic by its chapter title kids!

Oh, and sing your alleluias and praises to Noetic Sky. She never admits it, but every nicely worded thing here comes from her. The barest plot lines and these Authors Notes are the only things you can thank me for. See the stark difference? That shows how awesome she is. Join me in praising her.

Thanks again for reading, please review, and –hoping against hope- favourite and follow.

I'll see you in Chapter 3.

Alatariele C. in collab with Noetic Sky


	4. Of pranks, rebellion and subtle revenge

DISCLAIMER: I do not own Naruto, any characters or any of the jutsus here... except for Haruna.

* * *

_**Once I had a Sister**_

_**Chapter 3**_

Of pranks, rebellion and subtle revenge

* * *

_They're taunting him again; it is not the first time. Through the years, she had seen first-hand how the rest of the village shuns him, how his patriotism for his village only brings derision and anger among the others. Even with Haruna with him, the others only grudgingly tolerate his presence, as if his very being offends their senses. _

_"Jerks," Haruna says. "Come on, Naruto. Let's go up the hill."_

_She feels sorry for him. Slowly, Haruna begins to understand why Naruto wanted to become Hokage so fiercely, to earn the respect of those who scorned him. Or to show them all that he wasn't the idiot, the mistake they all presumed he was._

_It offends Haruna's sense of justice, which over the years had been honed to a fine point. Her choice to befriend him was not merely out of pity. She befriended him because it made the others angry. She lets him sit beside her atop the hills surrounding the village, watching the tall grasses bend and the cloud shadows chase each other. It felt less lonely this way. It felt like she was once again sitting with her family, her siblings, watching the afternoon go by._

* * *

It seemed her actions that past week hadn't gone without notice or opposition.

"Haruna, what is this I've been hearing of? Are you honestly interacting with the jinchuuriki without authorised consent?"

"Reports of your entering into his apartment; even accompanying him to school? What are you playing at, child?"

Another man spoke, a captain of the ANBU, "Your intervention with the mask stall-owner hasn't gone unnoticed. This chain of events is alarming."

Hiruzen Sarutobi voiced in, his authority as Hokage adding considerable gravity to his words. "I do believe you already know that your own comrades even, do not agree with your recent proceedings."

The girl kneeling before the seated elders, her wolf-painted mask lying on the ground before her, decided it was time to break the silence she had maintained since the council had adjourned. "Oh, they do?" Haruna asked, blandly. "I could hardly tell."

The one-eyed man she recognised as Danzo-sama frowned. "Your sarcasm isn't welcome here, Haruna-san. Were it not for worth within our village, I would have dispatched you on lengthy missions on a regular basis."

Two hazel eyes darkened into something far more mulishly dangerous.

Sandaime Hiruzen cut in gently, dismissing the tension in the room. "I understand your motives to be for the boy's wellbeing Haruna, in fact I even support it." He paused, aware of the sudden tension his comments had generated. "But your actions alarm the others, the villagers, those who bear grudges against the Kyuubi…" Clearing his throat, he decided to play it safe. "Why this sudden interest in the Kyuubi Jinchuuriki?"

She scoffed. "Even if Uzumaki Naruto is the jinchuuriki, that's no reason to treat him any differently. Don't tell me you haven't noticed how he's treated by the villagers. About time someone did something about it." The girl paused, her eyes narrowed. "Truth to say, I knew this was bound to happen. Getting into trouble with the higher-ups… But he's my little brother." She felt the tension in the room deepen a hundredfold. "I lost my family, he lost his. You can say all you want; I'm not leaving him alone, neglecting him, like you all are."

The woman, her white hair pulled back tightly into a bun, held in place with a simple hair stick frowned heavily in disapproval. "You should not speak too carelessly, Haruna. It would be wise to rethink the choices you are making," Homura said, gravely. "The neighbouring countries do their best to keep their jinchuurikis in isolation. It would be prudent of you to do the same."

"And leave him to grow up deprived of what he really needs, Homura-sama?" her voice was cold, controlled. "I wonder whether that really would benefit us."

The elder woman glared from her seat. "You would do well to remember why you were given that mask in the first place. We exist to protect Konoha, not relate with our jinchuurikis."

She smirked. "You needn't tell me that, Homura-sama."

"Haruna," Hiruzen interrupted again, his ever-present pipe oddly absent. "Be that as it may, you and Uchiha Itachi are the youngest to ever make it into the ANBU. The villagers look up to you. Your keeping company of the young boy may be perceived as an insult to them, especially those who lost members to the Kyuubi."

Haruna wanted to reduce the table to matchsticks at this point. She raised her voice a decibel. "And since when did we forget he's the jailor, not the prisoner in question? If you ask me, the only thing this village needs is a shift of perspective. I consider it my duty, just as much as it is everyone else's, to spend time with him to make up for having lost his parents, Yondaime-sama and Kushina-sama. Besides," she let out a half-suppressed chuckle, "he's cute. Don't you think he might even improve when he's older?"

Deathly silence descended over the room. No one wanted to break the habit of dismissing the boy who held the demon fox, much less begin to think of his appearance in the future. From the far end of the table, Danzou broke the silence he had maintained throughout the evening. "This is exactly what we had hoped to prevent, why we left him to himself in the first place. Let me make myself clear, as head of the Konoha black ops. If you continue to visit the boy or, kami forbid, grow even closer to him, I will be forced to assign you to more S rank missions to keep you two apart."

Everyone tensed when the dire threat was received without inner fanfare. Haruna raised her head enough to expose an astonishingly cheeky grin. "You can put me on all missions you want, Danzou-_sama,_ the more S-Ranks the better." She knew her tone was too arrogant to be interpreted as the anything but disrespectful, but just couldn't quite bring herself to care. "It won't make much difference. I'll just finish it more quickly."

In his seat, Hiruzen breathed a sigh of relief, satisfied with her reply. Just in time he composed himself, lest his actions be perceived as anything other than vague involvement. "Very well." He rumbled, majestically. "We will allow your interaction to continue, but be warned, should any further troubles ensue; you will also have to take responsibility. Just in case, I have decided that you will be kept under surveillance until we see fit," he concluded, dismissively. "And with that, I close this meeting."

Haruna lowered her head respectfully as the elders and superiors filed out of the room, the majority less than pleased. Damn, she'd let her emotions slip in front of her own superiors. _Damn it._ Willing herself to stay composed, and ignoring the ANBU member now watching her from the ceiling, Haruna took out her wolf mask and slipped it on.

But not before revealing the beginnings of a mischievous smile.

* * *

"Ne, ne, neechan! Where are we going?" a very loud, very annoying voice bellowed into Haruna's ear from a certain blonde piggybacking her.

"For the last time Naruto, I'll show you when we GET THERE. Sheesh, I'll probably be deaf by then." The passenger on her back chortled, obviously enjoying the free ride he was getting. Her eye twitched. "Until then, no questions, capeesh?"

"Is this going to be fun?" he immediately asked, sceptically, noticing the mischievous, almost rebellious expression on his Neechan's face. "You look as if you're going to put itching powder on the Sandaime, dattebayo."

Stifling a giggle, she decided to leave her plan to his imagination. "Oh, you'll see."

"But neechan! Why'd you get me all dressed up?" he bawled, and when no answer was forthcoming he continued, louder. "I thought we were going to switch all the signs today, dattebayo! Why do I have to come along? Huh, huh?!"

* * *

Uchiha Itachi took the tea handed to him with a grateful smile and made his way to the corner nearest to the window. It was break-time in the shinobi headquarters, and he was one of many tired, dishevelled or recuperating Konoha nin enjoying the respite. As he waited for his tea to cool, he made an effort to listen to the buzz of conversation going around the room. His ears pricked when he heard the mention of his teammate.

"-yeah _the_ Haruna was in the summons room for ages. I don't know whether they let her off."

"That really hot one?"

"Uh huh. Although I gotta say, it's about time they higher-ups stepped in. That Uzumaki brat is more trouble than he's worth."

"Wasn't she under orders to watch over him?"

"No, apparently she's doing it because she wants to. That's what's worrying me."

"-and she's not even worried about it…"

What's my ever rebellious mission partner up to now, Itachi asked himself as he took a sip of the hot tea. From what he could remember, she hadn't seemed any different on their missions the past few weeks- the recent rapid completion time of their missions came as no surprise, their team was always like that- nor was the news of her befriending Konoha's young jinchuuriki. Haruna befriended anyone, it wasn't really anything new. Or maybe, he pondered, having zoned out of the conversation completely, he'd been so caught up with clan meetings and taking care of his little brother to notice anything new.

That aside, where exactly was she? He'd shown up a few minutes early -as per usual- (little perfectionist that he was) but it was unusual for her to be late to a meeting. And it seemed no one would do anything other than stare at him in unmitigated wonder and fawn over his latest triumphs (ANBU reputation at all. He didn't exactly delight in it) or keep a cold distance. The ANBU life was pretty lonely once you got down to it. He should have stayed home; Sasuke had wanted to practice with him that morning. And_ where_ was that girl?

"Are you expecting someone, Uchiha Itachi-san?" a bright eyed jounin girl asked him in a conversational tone. He gulped the tea down quickly.

"Ah yes. That would be correct."

The common room door opened with a bang at the moment, to his immense relief. "Oh, is that who you've been waiting for?" the surprise in the girls voice confused him, but the sight of the familiar figure that appeared in the open doorway after explained it all. A loud, cheerful, dramatic-as-ever voice silenced the other living conversations in the room. "MMIINNAAA! I hereby declare today as bring-your-sibling-to-work day!"

Uchiha Itachi placed his empty cup on the table sheepishly. "Yes. That would be Haruna."

* * *

"Um, Haruna-san, why exactly did you bring the kid along?"

The dark-haired girl sitting defiantly next to the window looked up. "Huh?"

"The _kid_. You know what I mean."

"Oh, my little brother? Just bringing him to work for educational purposes, why?"

Sharingan eyes drifted to the little blonde boy now peering excitedly around the sunlit room and its occupants. These were shinobi, the protectors of Konoha. The awe and wonderment on his young whiskered face had softened the distaste his arrival had generated and it seemed they were gradually warming up to the little brat. Or maybe it had something to do with Haruna twirling the kunai dangerously beside them. Well, she did have a knack for persuading people... "Does this have anything to do with the council meeting I've heard tell of?"

"Whatever you think, Uchiha." She shepherded the new arrival over to the corner where the rest of the nin present had arbitrarily escaped to, giving a bright smile to them as the village outcast made his way with much confidence. She winced mentally as her brother's rather uncouth vocabulary surfaced, but these guys were her friends, right? Of course they'd welcome him in without the addition of any death glares or physical persuasion. No wait, all she needed was to give the guys her trademark grin- it did help to have a reputation sometimes. She smiled when they began to introduce themselves.

Her quiet teammate sighed. "Haruna-san, come on. Are you doing this for the kid or for some discreet… correction, _blatant _rebellion to our seniors? That is what I think."

"Now _why_ would you think that, Uciiha?"

"Your calm demeanour rather gave that impression, Haruna-san. (You can stop with the Uchiha already) You look just the way you always do when you're about to prank someone." Haruna smirked. "It seems to me that you're trying to prove that the jinchuuriki isn't to be seen the way the village currently does by proving there is nothing to stay away from; that just because he holds such an immense amount of power which also was the cause of the deaths of many of our fellow shinobi, it doesn't mean we are to treat him with scorn, am I right? Some kind of subtle retribution?"

There was a pause. "…Well, whatever you think, Uchiha."

"Right. My assumption was correct, wasn't it?"

"Maybe," Haruna sat back in her seat and watched as two jounins awkwardly displayed their katanas to Naruto's immense admiration and satisfaction and some other ones pushed a few snacks of their own towards him. ("Neechan! These swords are awesome, dattebayo! Hey, hey shinobi-san, can you do any tricks?") Another took out a juice carton –rations, she guessed- and handed it to him with a soft smile.

"You can take it whatever way you like Itachi. Although you've got to admit it's more like killing two birds with one stone, right? I'm helping teach my little bro a bit more about the shinobi life, and sticking it up to them at the same time. It's perfectly me."

"Indeed."

Haruna's lips curved into a smile. "Come on, even you gotta admit the kid's not as bad as everyone says he is."

"I recall the higher-ups telling us to keep our distance, so I can't say I even know much about him. He's the polar opposite of my little brother, if that's what you're asking."

"Ha, ha. Whatever you think, Uchiha." Of course, it was way, way too early to say any progress was made, but there was no way anyone could not fall for those big, baby blue eyes and still think he was the scum of the earth. With her intervention, Konoha's jinchuuriki had probably risen about a millimetre on their personal scales. And what was even better,_ no complaints so far. _Naruto was now exploring the rest of the room with wide-eyed curiosity, while the rest of the jounins threw pained looks in her direction, naturally. She waved in return. "Of course, how could I forget my ANBU partner here follows absolutely all orders meticulously?"

"Because my ANBU partner here seems to perpetually recoil from it."

Laughing, Haruna stood up as Naruto made his way over to her in the hopes of something new to see. The next stop was the cafeteria- there was ramen available anyway. "Well I don't know, Itachi. Always following the orders of someone else... I wonder, though, whether that could be a bad thing."

The Uchiha smiled. "Whatever you think, Haruna. Oh, and by the way, the elders are coming."

* * *

The completion of the new playground in the Konoha Village Park was well received among its inhabitants. It was the topic on every kid's lips that week- _let's go over there this weekend! I want to try the swings! I heard the slides were really awesome- _Even the teachers and the rest of the adults looked forward to its opening, speaking of the new playground with unmasked anticipation. So did a certain blonde loudmouth and his equally loud sister, for different reasons. New playground meant lots of people, and lots of people meant… Much whispering and detailed planning went on behind the closed curtains of Naruto's apartment.

And so it happened that two masked, black-clad ninjas took the initiative and were now in the playground-to-be-opened early the following morning.

"Okay Naruto," Haruna whispered conspiratorially. "Let's get our plan clear. Are you sure you know what to do?"

"Hai, hai dattebayo! Did you get the balloons, neechan?"

From behind her mask-a-la-Kakashi, the dark-haired nodded her assertion. It was game time.

The first of the villagers began to mill through the gates and a great chorus of oohs and aahs began. The priority was to take it slow and let the poor suckers –that is to say, citizens and fellow nin- create an atmosphere of safety, so the two joined the crowd. When everyone was in and the coast was clear, it was time to put the plan into action. Right on cue, Naruto made his way over to the sandpit, without suspicion, and was innocently digging around in the amazing new sandpit the workers had built and had suddenly caught something from the corner of his eyes in the sand and was picking it up, in great awe and surprise-

"HEY, HEY EVERYBODY! THE SANDPITS ARE AWESOME- DATTEBAYO! LOOK, I FOUND CANDY IN IT! JUST LOOK AT WHAT I FOUND IN THE SANDPIT -TTEBAYO! THERE'S ANOTHER ONE HERE TOO"

He was bouncing excitedly and pointing to the sand he was standing on, a look of utter amazement spread across his face. Unable to resist the compelling enthusiasm of his cries, the rest of the children were up and dragging their parents towards the sandpit in an instant, cries of "Where, where?" and "I think I see, look, over there!" "I want some candy!" eclipsing all previous conversations. Haruna looked around, pleased. She'd been utterly forgotten, as planned. Now was the perfect opportunity to escape, while everyone was shoving to get into the sandpits and start digging, for little surprises added there just for that purpose, of course.

_Wolf to Cub. Fall back, regroup, and then proceed to Step B._

A rustle in the bushes opposite indicated that her companion was out of range just in time for the first irritated kids to give up looking for lollies and turn angrily towards where Naruto had been standing a few seconds ago.

"There's nothing there, you freak- hey, where'd he go?"

"Wait, there are no lollies?"

"Aaawww…."

Amidst much muttering and disappointed faces, the parents of Konoha decided it was a good time for their children to explore the rest of the park. Just as the first of the parents made their way to the sandpits edge however, they were cordially treated to the second surprise that day. Haruno-san could have sworn she heard a chuckle before her pink haired daughter disappeared in a barrage of water balloons.

In the next ten seconds, the citizens and children of Konoha were treated to a thorough dousing of coloured water balloons fired with precise aim before they had time to think. A certain dark-haired and blonde duo was, on the other hand, breathless with laughter on the other side of the trees.

"Ne, ne, did you see that neechan? They totally fell for it, dattebayo!"

"Uh huh, did you see when I threw it at that kid there-" The rest of the gloats on their success were lost in another chorus of raucous laughter while the rest of Konoha tried, unsuccessfully, to dry off their now-soaking youngsters.

A new voice brought the laughing duo back to the present. "Real mature Haruna." A less-than-pleased Itachi said to his teammate as he did his best to dry his little brother's clothes without burning them with his **gougakyuu. **"I take my little brother to the park for one day, and this happens." He sighed. "Let me guess, this is for training?"

"Not for me- I'm overseeing _my _little bro's ninja training. Admit it, he isn't that bad." Haruna chuckled, looking immensely pleased with herself. Beside her, Naruto was staring at the new sight of his classmate, dripping and sullen. "Heh heh, teme, did you like my prank?" Sasuke scowled, and leaned in closer to his big brother defensively. Itachi sighed again. "Now, what am I supposed to do? My parents aren't going to be happy with this you know,"

"Sure thing Uchiha. I know; I'm really sorry. Here, I've got a towel here." Helpfully, Haruna handed her teammate a towel. "That should help."

"_Thank you." _Itachi took the towel handed to him gratefully. The relief on his face evaporated into something dangerous when he realised the towel had been liberally sprayed with contact dye. It was at this point that Haruna reminded herself of another strategic advantage to staying near the gates—she and her partner-in-crime automatically had a head start on the exit. But she lingered to enjoy the grand finale. Now Uchiha Itachi's sweet little brother's dark apparel was less-than-artistically streaked with vibrant pink. "…Haruna-san…"

Sensing the impending danger, Naruto leaned in warningly to his elder sister (who was still laughing uncontrollably even though the joke had died quite some time ago) and tugged her sleeve. "Neechan, we should probably leave right now."

"Yes. Yes you should," Itachi agreed, with exasperation even his great self-control couldn't quite tamp down. "Because I'm not the only one who'll be chasing you around for this," he said, gesturing to the loud crowd now beginning to make their way over to the laughing party.

"Heh," Haruna slung their supply bag over her shoulder. "Of course." It was actually kind of funny to see the lightning quick transition from full blown laughter to her serious mode, but Naruto was already one step ahead of her and running. "Come on Naruto, let's go Ichiraku."As if as an afterthought, she stopped and looked over her shoulder. "And Itachi, I'll leave you to explain this, thank you very much."

"H-Hey, wait!"

"And teme," Nartuto's very loud, very annoying voice bellowed to the still silent Uchiha sibling who still hadn't quite recovered from his dose of prankster genius, "enjoy the new playground, dattebayo!"

The two Uchiha brothers watched as the pranksters made their exit, Haruna twirling over the treetops and leaping over the nearest apratments, Naruto whizzing past the milling crowds until he joined her atop the library rooftop, with mixed emotions.

"Oi, niisan," Sasuke finally said when the two were out of sight. "You know Naruto's big sister?"

"Yes I do actually. She's my ANBU partner."

"Oh." The little boy thought for a minute before continuing gravely, "I didn't think big sisters were like that."

Itachi smiled as he took Sasuke's hand in his own and proceeded to make their way home. "Neither. Come on, I'm going to need to clean you up, we don't want Okasan to worry."

"Hai, niisan." Sasuke said beside him, taking care to match his little footsteps to his older brother's striding ones. "Let's go to the park again- and next time, we'll see if a trap is there!"

~.~

And from the Hokage's office, Hiruzen Sarutobi watched the incident below in his crystal orb with much interest. Both the Wolf, Uchiha Itachi and the jinchuuriki at the same day and place; with such light-heartedness too! The young had so much potential… Putting the orb away, the old man leaned back and closed his eyes and thought forlornly that he probably wouldn't see such a scene ever again. The council meetings with the ANBU leaders, villagers complaining about Naruto and a not-so-successful conference with the Uchiha clan heads that day had gotten the ball rolling.

It seemed matters were going to move faster than he'd thought from now on.

* * *

**AUTHORS NOTES:**

**Chapter 3**

I like writing Authors Notes. Because it's just me talking, and I get to say all the stuff I can to (hopefully) clear any possible questions that come up. Creating an OC character, I was prepared for situations like these. And it's also a lot of fun for me. Because as I write them up before I upload, I say what I'm writing in my head with the weirdest accents and tones possible (that is to say, in my normal voice, sigh) and it gets me in touch with the few readers I have. My thanks for all those who've read and reviewed. You just saved a poor, helpless puppy alone in the Arctic Sea.

That aside…

Why is this chapter all about Itachi? Because he's awesome, that's why. THAT IS WHY. He's Itachi. END. OF. STORY.

And he's Haruna's ANBU teammate? …Well, Tobi DID say Itachi had a lover… JOKES! Of course not people, Haruna's his team partner. Although they aren't that bad together now, really… AHEM, (cough cough*) what was I going to say? Oh yeah, so, we get a little info that Haruna is actually –surprise surprise- a teammate of the Uchiha Itachi. -Itachi fangirls (I have quite a few in mind… You know who you are =.=) don't let this make you hate Haruna- and I also mentioned him drinking tea, funnily enough. Does Itachi actually drink tea? Hmmm…

Subsequently, true to the fact that the villagers hate Naruto's guts, there is some displeasure at Haruna's actions. The elders and the other villagers are all outraged at the scandal – someone making friends with the jinchuuriki? The horror! (gasp of shock*). And what does this Haruna do? Well, simply and succinctly put, Haruna doesn't give a *BEEP* (I meant to say "give a care" if you were wondering. That bleep was coincidence.) I hope that's character development, people. Every story needs character development or we'll all kill the puppies.

I'm going to have to start working harder at these fanfics though. It's actually a hard job trying to write things up, and Noetic Sky is sick of me asking her to look over what I've done every thirty seconds. If they start taking a while, all I ask is that you don't forget me.

Please Read and Review! You drown puppies in the Caspian Sea when you don't!

- Alatariele C. in collab with Noetic Sky.


	5. In which friendships are struck

_DISCLAIMER: I do not own Naruto or any of the characters except Haruna. I mean really, do you think I'm able to think up a story as awesome as that? Ol' Kishi is a living legend. But that's enough about me now. Just hurry up and read the chapter._

* * *

_**Once I had a Sister**_

_**Chapter 4**_

In which people start acting weird and friendships are struck

* * *

To Naruto especially, Haruna was away for a long time. At first her missions started out taking only a day or so and she would either be at the school gates waiting for him at the end of the day or leaving him lunch in the mornings if she came back late. But as the weeks went by, try as she might, Haruna was put on call for solo-missions perpetually, and her missions ended up spanning days, weeks, fortnights. _Well that was stupid of me,_ Haruna reflected as she bandaged another cut from a flukey shuriken,_ saying all that crap to the big guys upstairs. They weren't joking when they said they were putting me on call 24/7…_

To make up for it however, Haruna always made sure she brought something back for her little brother. Candies from Suna, t-shirts from Inaho, the works. Naruto slowly began to accustom to the fact that while he'd wait ages for the next visit from neechan, every mission meant a little souvenir/toy/some-unheard-of-junk-food-from-the-fa r-corners-of-the-earth at the end of it for him. It wasn't the best, but they could cope. Naruto's sheer happiness every time Haruna clambered through the window to visit was well worth all the night-treks she'd make to complete her missions in half the time.

She'd earned a record for taking ASAP to a whole new level along the way as well.

But, presents or no, it was fairly obvious to Naruto that Haruna's mission call rate was, well, _doing everything it could to keep Haruna away from him._

"Ne, neechan. Is your boss angry with you or something?" he asked some weeks later, after another exceptionally long mission had brought a very tired (but no less upbeat) Haruna back to his apartment. "Don't you ever get a weekend off nowadays?"

The answer came in the form of a light snore –Haruna had dozed off at the table beside him. The little boy coughed politely (after all, he knew very well how hard it was to stay awake, thanks to the Academy ) but when Haruna didn't stir for another full ten minutes, Naruto took matters of leaving sleep to night-time into his own hands. Carefully, he selected a pocky stick from the box open on the table and consequently prodded the kunoichi awake.

"Ehh what?" she yelped at the intrusion-but was appeased when the weapon used found its sweet way into her mouth. Ninja habits die hard.

"Neechan, do you ever get a weekend off?"

"No Naruto," she answered sleepily, accompanied afterwards with a yawn. "I never get a weekend off. Not anymore." Her eyes drifted to the pocky on the table, registered a high-energy snack, and pounced on them. It had been Naruto's present, but he would live; "And I definitely wasn't sleeping; it was just an act to get you to give me your pocky. And it worked."

"Why not?" Naruto asked. (She'd forgotten the first part of the conversation already here but caught on quickly enough.)

"Because the big guys don't like me." Haruna whined melodramatically, burying her head onto her arms as she relayed a long account of how mean the "big guys" were. Concern and worry swirled inside cerulean orbs. Unsure of this new display of emotion from his big sister, the boy reminded himself to think through this calmly and do what he should. Racking his brain for some ideas to calm the wailing kunoichi at his table, he remembered how a hot drink always helped. Ignoring the fact that it was still broad daylight and a humid day to boot, Naruto trotted from neechan's side to prepare hot chocolate as best he could for her.

A light nudge at her side and the scent of hot chocolate stopped Haruna's PDWKA (Publicly Displayed Whiny Kid Act). Big blue eyes behind a cup of super sugary chocolate milk asked quietly, "Why don't the big guys like you neechan?"

Oh. My. God. Everyone else could think she was stupid for coming to visit the jinchuuriki for all she cared, because they really had no idea what they were missing out on. Haruna had to bite her tongue before a goofy grin blew her depressed act before she answered sadly, "Because they're bullies."

"Bullies?"

"Yeah."

"Why are they bullies, neechan?"

Well, there were a lot of ways she could answer that. Most of it included an array of adulterated vocabulary and horrific tales that were not meant for young ears, she'd have to give the short answer for now. And so her reply to Naruto's serious question wasn't necessarily a lie – it was an answer from the heart.

"Because…" she intoned gravely. "They don't eat nutella."

* * *

"Oh god. It's her again."

Haruna's grip on her locker door tightened. On second thought, maybe staying away from the village wasn't that bad. Sleeping out on the road, explosive tags attached to every good thing in the universe and a different assortment of scars for every new mission seemed much more welcoming than being ostracized –_ooh, a big word_- back home. The kunoichi's thoughts were as dark as her hair as she lifted her chin to the ceiling and yanked the locker door open with as much class as her naturally inelegant air would allow. And by locker she meant the two-foot square of personal space every ANBU member was allotted next to the weapons room. She fished out her spare kunai set, imagining lodging a few of them in a few of their skulls at the same time.

It took a lot to actually get her to feel angry, and although the kunoichi agreed that opinions should be respected, she also vehemently believed they should really be kept to yourself - especially when the target is, oh, _two feet away from you._

"It's a wonder she even made it past the chunnin exams"

"She only got lucky cause she can summon wolves right?"

"Yeah but you need more than that to be qualify as ANBU material"

_Wow guys. Right. Frickin'. Here._

"But even after what she did back then?"

And the gossip continued! One other observation the girl had picked up from the multitudes of different people she had encountered over her short life was that past sins belonged to the past - except if you are not a generally well-liked person. Okay, maybe she'd been stupid –correction, she'd been very stupid – but that by no means meant she had forgotten them. Not when previous failures had her waking up in the middle of the night trying hard to breathe and calm herself down after reliving another costly mistake. Oh curse the power of spiteful gossip; why on earth was she bringing up these dregs of the past!

Back in emotional control, Haruna fought her rising indignation and concentrated hard on teleporting herself to places where no one was around to remind her that a) she wasn't actually from Konoha, b) she was poor, c) she was Naruto's friend deliberately, as in, _of her own accord,_ and d) because of all of the above, she was therefore not exactly popular among the ranks.

_At least they haven't insulted Naru-chan yet…_

"She doesn't have the kyuubi brat with her again, does she? Having them both here was enough..."

That did it. Haruna was halfway towards a perfectly aimed right hook to the head when a very calm, very polite "Ah, Ohaiyou gozaimasu, Haruna-san," halted her.

There was a hush at the arrival of another ANBU member, her teammate, none other than the only Uchiha the ANBU had in its ranks, Itachi. Haruna hadn't seen him since her successful prank at the park last summer and he looked pale and wary – in other words, normal.

It was common knowledge that the two had been ANBU partners since they'd joined it together. Itachi with his cool, stoic bearing and Haruna, who was a firecracker in contrast had been a good match from the get go, which was precisely why the Hokage had suggested the arrangement from the beginning. Itachi's martyr-complex (the syndrome Haruna had diagnosed him with due to his susceptibility to do the dirty work) often irritated her – because though there were moments when it was appreciated, her heart ached every single time Itachi would consent to getting up and doing litter duty or carrying an extra three backpacks just because someone else said please. As for Haruna, ANBU Wolf, _she _had a reputation for yelling at people trying to exploit the guy _–look at him, you think those scrawny arms are going to carry that abnormally big shuriken for you? Summon it into a scroll or something, dumbass! (And I was only joking about the scrawny arms, okay? Don't give me that hurt look, oi…) – _as well as background reasons that usually generated less than pleasant confrontations with the common populace. Not to mention that her reputation had dwindled increasing further down the social scale since her relationship with Konoha's jinchuuriki increased.

Either way, whenever they were together, the rest of the world dispersed.

"Sticks and stones may break my bones…"

"But saying whatever trash you have against a person in their hearing will never hurt me." Haruna finished brusquely. "Jerks."

Leaning against the opposite wall quietly, the Uchiha's placid exterior softened enough to expose an empathetic smile. "Just ignore them, we're good at that." Since it seemed to dent the pride in quite a few of the elder members, the other ANBU members had yet to forgive the two of them for entering so early. "Focus on other things, like gag-store sales" he suggested.

"Yeah, but when they mention Naruto I can't help it, can I?"

While whispered comments usually had Itachi zipping his already silent lips, they awakened demons inside his female partner. It was a welcome sight to see after the many tense meetings with the clan and the village elders. "True enough," Itachi agreed, "but lets just be mature about this, you are the elder here after all."

Indeed. Haruna banged her locker door shut, feeling cheated of an opportunity to exhibit the skills she had honed the past weeks on missions on other people who deserved it. "You know I only mention that when I want you to buy me something."

"Do you want me to?" Haruna's ever-perfect, perceptive teammate offered. "You've been working a lot."

Unable to remain unhappy around Itachi's calm, Haruna's frown melted in place of an excited grin much more characteristic to her. "We'll see Uchiha. On the other hand, I haven't seen you since my prank at the park last summer so do hurry up and tell me what you've been doing here on paid vacation."

"Sure, but maybe somewhere else?" Itachi proposed, one eye catching the presence of another ninja tailing behind them. The Hokage hadn't stopped his surveillance on Haruna either. "I'm on my way to get a few things…"

"And I've got a mission to Iwa in two hours,"she agreed, slipping the kunai set snugly into their places on her weapons pouch. Hopefully she wouldn't have to lose them all over the course of one mission, because her ANBU pay suffered from it. "Let's go."

By the time they'd reached the first of the shops in the middle of town, Haruna had recounted the hectic few weeks she had, trying to find new gifts for Naruto, as well as a long rant on how she had yet to be given a raise. As well as mention just how awesome her wolves were -_because really, my wolves are awesome_ - . Life seemed boring in comparison for Itachi. The clan was perpetually calling meeting after meeting with the village elders -something to do with an increase of training space?- the kind of affairs a clan princeling like Itachi (_No, I am not a clan prince and you know it Haruna-san_) had to attend.

It was when Itachi answered her query on whether-it-was-fun-to-be-with-all-the-oldies with "It's not like I have a choice in the matter" that Haruna started to wonder.

Although pacified by the ice-lolly Itachi very kindly insisted on buying her, the story Itachi had given rested uneasily on her mind. Aside from the fact that Itachi was dutiful to a fault; there had been a huge amount of missions to do, some of which had to be taken solo instead of in teams due to the lack of active members. Itachi was one of the best –and that was the understatement of the year- so shouldn't he have been on the front lines as well? It was all very suspicious.

…."Hokage's orders as well as my clan's," Itachi reasoned. A ghost of a frown barely disrupted his otherwise placid features. "I would rather have been out on missions."

"Oh?"

"Well, having meetings every day isn't much fun. You wouldn't stand it."

"Well I wouldn't guess gussied-up old men to converse seriously on the latest playground or the new candy store that just opened so like, _duh_." Haruna remarked, with mature gravity.

Itachi's smile wavered. "No… it isn't what you'd expect… at all."

Almost intrigued at the unexpected shift of mood, Haruna inhaled the last sweet morsel of ice candy and ignited the stick with a small gougakyuu (because the nearest trash can was on the next street) before following with the question, "So what's it all about, these meetings of yours?"

Itachi, whose mind had been in turmoil since morning though his stoic attitude masked it completely, lost his will to speak in an instant. It had nothing to do with Haruna, of course not, it was just, well… him and the clan…

Haruna touched a hand to his shoulder, startling him out of his reverie. "Uchiha? Hello?"

Sharingan eyes closed tiredly. "Nothing. It's nothing at all."

"Oh." Haruna scowled and bit the inside of her cheek, eyes planted firmly on the patch of road directly before her. Was it because of the ANBU following her- the one atop the oden store bar two lots back? She couldn't help if it someone was being paid to tail her, she'd even bet her next A-rank mission pay the Hokage might be using his all-seeing crystal orb on her as well -the old pervert – so there really wasn't any reason to sct all funny, at least by her understanding. She had nothing to hide except the fact that she_ knew _someone was already watching her – and neither did Itachi … right?

Haruna tried again. "Yo. Itachi. Why. Have. You. Been. Stuck inside the village or the past three months?"

If the perturbed girl looked back on that sunny afternoon, that would probably have been the time she'd notice the shift in the happenings of the village. She would only look back and realise the presence of a sinister undercurrent beneath the placid, carefree surface of Konohagakure no Sato. Half formed in the rawest part of her mind was the inkling of a suspicion that it wasn't just Naruto the elders were keeping her away from….

"It's nothing." Itachi repeated, quietly, more to himself than to Haruna. She decided not to press the subject any further. "Nothing at all."

* * *

Naruto, red-cheeked and bright-eyed, hummed happily that morning as he walked with Haruna to school. Due to his intervention the day before which had him up in the Hokage's office, Haruna-neechan had been given a week's leave. Something to do with Haruna having to come in and work her powers of persuasion (to get the Konoha elders to stop glaring at him from across the nutella jar he'd given them) and ultimately missing the meet up for her next mission. So, although they were both in trouble, they had the week to themselves. Success.

On other days it was boring - and lonely – so Naruto particularly enjoyed the long walk to the Academy when his chatty older sister was there to tell him of her latest mission or advice on his lessons at school. Somehow he seemed to remember everything his neechan would tell him, whether it was useful to him or not. Like the nutritional benefits of the cold cup ramen that had become a lunch staple since she'd come into his life.

Haruna had very big-sisterly-likely insisted on carrying Naruto's featherlight backpack for him and was very much enjoying the breezy morning.

"Ne, neechan – what else can you do?" her small companion asked loudly, his voice ringing across the walls of the street they were passing. While she'd been away, he'd actually done his homework- asking his senseis about the ANBU and shinobi missions and all other kinds of tricks and jutsus known. To be ANBU material meant you were on a pretty damn good level, and like any curious kid, Naruto wanted to see to believe.

"Me?" his companion replied, reddening 'modestly'. "Oh I can do _amazing_ things, young one."

"Things like?"

"Oh well," the kunoichi scratched her head, "I can… jump between tree branches and add a flip along the way. It's really cool."

Naruto's eyes dimmed. "But… Even I can do that neechan!"

"Then good for you, you'll be a great ninja in no time," she answered wisely, giving the blonde an encouraging tap on the head. Naruto, deeply unimpressed with the answer, thrust out his bottom lip in a pout and repeated his question again, this time with much overly-drawn-out wheedling.

"Then, then – hey, HEY! Why do you have a wolf on your mask then? Are you part wolf or something? Are you a _were-wolf_?"

"Huh? NO." Haruna shuddered. Were-wolves and the like were the stuff of nightmares, thanks to much unsupervised reading back when she was a little kid. "I can summon wolves though, if I need their help. They're really cute."

"_Wolves?_ Really?" The dwindling respect he had for the kunoichi now soared into celestial levels. "How do you summon things?"

"…You'll have to ask your Iruka-sensei that, young one." Haruna answered coyly. "He'll know how to answer that." She had to bite back a laugh at Naruto's disappointment, but the blonde fireball was too excited at the chance of walking to school with his neechan to stay downhearted for long. He immediately shot back with another question, one he asked with much interest. "Hey, neehan. Are you Iruka-sensei's friend?"

The Umino kid? "Well, I was in his class for a while, " Haruna offered tentatively, "but I can't say I know him too well. I didn't stay at the Academy long."

"Why?"

"Because I joined the ANBU."

"Why did you join the ANBU, neechan?"

The bag-carrier of the journey braced herself for another round of interrogation. "Actually," she began, "it was because the Hokage asked me to."

"Well did you not know Iruka-sensei because you were popular and he wasn't?"

… It was a good thing the street was devoid of Iruka or anyone else inclined to pass on the conversation. Haruna laughed, rather forcedly, and answered "No, it wasn't like that. Neither of us were popular [a montage of images of the unruly Umino class-clown flitted across her mind, as well as of school day memories that were better off left to the past] but Iruka and I didn't talk much when we were little. The guys were scared of me I think."

"Were you scary when you were little, neechan?"

"Maybe. And I wasn't born here, so they probably didn't like me much."

"_What?"_ Naruto had jumped from the ledge he was walking on to the ground in an instant. "You weren't born here?"

"I wasn't."

"Then- then where were you from?"

"A village near the border. There was - "

"But why - " the boy interjected, tugging on his neechan's sleeve stubbornly. "How come you're not there anymore?"

"Naruto," Haruna stopped and drew her finger across Naruto's mouth in a 'zip it and let me talk' motion. "let me finish. There was a war going on before you were born and lots of things happened. Before you interrupt me again, I only came to school here and was in old Umino's class for a bit when I was nine. Three years older than you."

"Ohhhh." There was a brief silence that Haruna used to compose herself after her mini confession; saying ones history, however sunny, was never without consequence. It was broken far too soon when a second round of childishly curious interrogation commenced as the six year old went back to his primary topic. "So- so, how did you get your wolves?"

Good question, but one Haruna couldn't answer with thirty words or less. Her and her feral, four-legged summons went a long way back. "It's a long story, little bro. We both owe each other a lot."

"But then what else do you do in the ANBU?" Naruto shot back, his list of questions obviously having depleted minimally. "And where do ANBU people sleep?"

"Well-"

"Did you go into the Academy or straight into the ANBU?"

"Yeah, actually I-"

"Do ANBU people actually sleep?"

Haruna spoke before she thought. "Nope."

"You don't?!"

At this point, Haruna stopped trying, and refused to answer anything else until Naruto had quietened down. "Thank you," she breathed, once the big blue eyes were turned towards her respectfully. "Answering your question, ANBU people actually do sleep - wherever they want to- and I went to the Academy just like you and then I went to the ANBU. And," she added quickly, when her companion's mouth opened again "I used to go to the orphanage, just like you. See? I wasn't lying when I said I knew what it was like."

The recipient of the information was (finally) silent. Talk about a grand reveal! ANBU members, he could only conclude, had many, many layers. Naruto opened his mouth to ask if he was the only person to know this, but the conversation had gone on long enough to edge around dangerous waters and his sister had suddenly become mindful of the time.

"Look how late we are!" The kunoichi cried, stooping low to hoist the orange bundle on her back. "On my back Naruto! We'll get there faster. Geez did you do this on purpose?"

"Huh?! Tell me more about – "

"Hurry Naruto!" his neechan coddled, secretly eager to switch the subject. "Don't you have a test or something? I'll let you see my wolves if you pass with flying colours"

"Yippee!" In a blink his mood was switched and Naruto squealed with delight as he jumped on her back. Small arms wrapped themselves around Haruna's neck as they set off. As they bounded across rooftops ninja-style and slipped past the school gates just as the bell began to ring, Naruto's thoughts began to drift towards his next rebellion against the system (just kidding, he only wanted to ditch the Tactics test that morning).

But, as Haruna dropped him off at his homeroom and said her goodbyes, part of the jinchuuriki wished she would tell him more. Because despite the light-hearted way she patted him on the nose encouragingly and her excited conspiratorial whisper of eating out tonight, Naruto was unable to shake the feeling that there was more to his big sister than he thought.

* * *

Naruto pouted and scrunched the test report card into a ball and threw it furiously on the ground, before stomping on it for good measure. The reason for this outburst was, through no surprise to the reader or anyone observing it for that matter, the big fat red pen announcing his abysmal test score. Around him the boy could hear the other students congratulating themselves, but he was in no mood to join them. _Screw tests. You didn't need them to become Hokage._

Naruto walked over to his desk and slumped over the top, his head on his arms. Sakura-chan was out there congratulating herself and Sasuke-teme for their joint first places. As for him… dead last AGAIN, highest score of 17%, earning him a chorus of loud sniggers from everyone else. He really tried this time. But nothing made sense since the books his teachers had given him were ripped at the important parts and his taijutsu teachers seemed to somehow teach the good moves to everyone else and the sucky, baby ones to him.

Iruka-sensei would probably be even madder if he knew the real reason Naruto looked like ramen had been banned for a year was because he was missing out on a chance to see Haruna-neechan's famous ninja-wolves. It was a sad world indeed.

The lunch bell rang, signalling the end of the lesson and the beginning of the lunch hour. In a surge of much impatient pushing and shoving, the class swarmed out the doors and into the fresh air outside. Naruto, however, was too put out to leave his seat and now sat in an empty class. That is, save for one little girl in a cream-coloured jacket in the farthest corner of the classroom.

Hyuuga Hinata could have only been a mouse, turtle or teeny-tiny seahorse in her past life. Not because she wasn't widely known –after all, one only needed to glimpse her on the street to surmise that she was of the prestigious Hyuuga clan – but because if anyone asked, one only needed to give a long list of the synonyms of shy, and maybe polite, to describe her. Which… also meant she was the complete antithesis of the blonde class clown.

Ah, but opposites did attract.

He might only know her name, but the boy had been pulled in class repeatedly enough for everyone to know that he was utterly fearless. While everyone else sighed at his interruptions (or rejoiced, depending on what was being disturbed) Hinata couldn't help but be drawn to the way Naruto just did not back down, even if the sensei was glaring at him hard enough to burn a hole in the back wall. And besides, he sat in the seat next to her.

The day may be as bad as any other for the young Uzumaki, but it was important to Hinata. She had been trying unsuccessfully to attempt a conversation instead of the rare "sumimasens" or thank yous that had been their only form of interaction since the beginning of the year; and since the classroom was devoid of other individuals, this could only be a chance. She was trying to work up the courage to begin when the uncharacteristic despondency on Naruto's face made her consider trying another day for her first conversation. Someone trying to be rude (Kiba, or Shikamaru maybe) would probably tell Naruto he looked as cheerful as a fart with no butthole. Hinata was kind, and not as blunt, however. She assumed it would only be rude to impose on Naruto when he looked so un-Naruto-like.

Still trying to swallow disappointment where it could resurface, Naruto rifled the worn pages of his text-book nonchalantly. The terrible state it was in didn't escape Hinata's notice from the other end of the classroom (the perks of having the Byakugan), thus thoroughly surprising her. _Her _clan always presented her with a clean; durasealed copy smelling sweetly of newness at the start of the year, and the copy Naruto had in his hands looked like it belonged in a paper bin despite the obvious care it was treated with now.

The scene was, in a sense, a rare occurrence that Hinata wasn't likely to see, like one of those scenarios where the moment is over when one looks away for just a moment. Poring over books wasn't something Naruto could persevere at for more than four pages at the most. He gave up on a lengthy paragraph of the dog hand seal and turned to leave his seat when the cream of Hinata's jacket caught his eye. Hinata, who had since been sitting at her desk in silence, let out a cornered squeak at the same time.

"Uh…"

Somehow, seeing someone with a different side to usual –in this case, Naruto just not laughing raucously – had a similar effect on her. The Hyuuga immediately let out all the apologies a high-bred girl like her was capable off, only retreating to the farthest corner of her chair when the high-pitched address ceased. "Gomen! I… I was just going to… going to…"

The object of Hinata's concern however, was less than perturbed. "Huh?" was the first thing the boy came up with. It took a second for him to recognise the white-eyed girl with cherry cheeks. "Hinata?"

Hinata didn't answer, panic and complete surprise having rendered her speechless.

In contrast, apart from being relieved at the presence of someone who wasn't laughing at him, the little Uzumaki knew the blue-haired girl enough to know she suffered from some kind of aphasia. It turned out that the dismal grade Naruto had been moping over hadn't altered him that much after all. His next topic moved to whether Hinata had had lunch yet, of course.

At least Hinata could answer that. No, she replied with a shake of her head. She in turn (somehow) worked up the courage to whisper if Naruto had eaten _his._

Naruto pointed two small fingers to a bento box under his desk. "Not yet but later. You should eat now then, Hinata, because you'll get really hungry and fall asleep in afternoon class if you don't."

Hinata tilted her head up and down while her heart swelled at the concern on her companion's part. Her chronic bashfulness receded enough for her caring side to come through to ask, "Ano… why aren't you going to eat yet, Naruto-kun?"

"Cause I'm looking through my book", Naruto replied breezily, interlacing fingers beihind his sunny head.

Hinata twiddled her fingers nervously in her lap as she asked, politely, whether he liked the work in the book. Her father was always talking about how important the lessons in the textbooks were to those aspiring to be good ninjas. She was answered with an indifferent shrug, her companion's body language telling more of what he thought about the notes in the book than his short answer did.

Did he think they were boring too?

Yeah he did. Everyone else was abnormally book-smart to understand it (like _her_).

The Hyuuga heiress crinkled her forehead in confusion at what should have been a compliment. "I wouldn't say so, Naruto-kun," she replied.

"Naww, of course you are, dattebayo!" He smiled –a big toothy grin that made Hinata feel all warm and happy and_ strong_ inside and was making her feel a whole lot happier too- and said that she was just another of those really nice people who didn't like to brag. "If only they didn't copy it from a dictionary or something, maybe it would make some more sense, you know?"

That surprised her. "Huh? It doesn't make sense, Naruto-kun?"

Naruto shook his blonde head dolefully. He couldn't even imagine making the lesson fun.

Taking the hint such things wouldn't really make sense to a hyper-active ramen-enthusiast like him; the Hyuuga racked her head to be useful in this situation, which meant finding a way to explain it well enough for Narutoo to understand. Whatever the senseis liked to say, Naruto-kun was definitely not a dobe, especially to her. At the very least she doubted Naruto had dozens of tutors ready to explain anything and everything back home like she did. She agreed too – the textbooks had obviously been written by jounins who had never been kids before.

"Ano," she offered, "may I take a look, Naruto-kun?" Naruto complied, shifting in his seat to make room for her. Hinata sat down, reminding herself not to get too carried away and focus on the task at hand, and scanned the open page before the two of them.

Unbeknownst to both children, Naruto in particular, luck was on their side. For the gentle clan heiress had spent many evenings helping Hanabi with homework enough to be very, very experienced in the art of simplifying. With the information she had compiled on what did and didn't interest Naruto, it was fairly easy work on Hinata's part to decipher the comprehensive discussion on different jutsus and their places of origin to something more Naruto-like. She didn't even hesitate when she said,

"See here Naruto-kun, what they're just trying to say is that the Hidden Mist Jutsu is a Water Style seal – so you use the Jin seal to activate it. You know the one that's the dog seal backwards?"

Naruto, who had since been staring at the page like he wanted nothing more than to burn it, nodded his head slowly. It was enough of a confidence boost to Hinata, whose voice grew stronger as she continued, "And… it hides you. It's really… just a smoke pellet, but with water."

There was a pause. "Ano… is that it?"

Pretty much; Hinata nodded.

"Really?" Naruto asked doubtfully, unable to grasp quite how Hinata was able to read a whole half-page paragraph and summarise it in two sentences. (It must be another technique he would need to master in the future as Hokage.)

Hinata nodded again, watching with mounting pride as the blue eyes brightened.

"Su…sugoi…" Naruto began as his enthusiasm levels slowly augmented at the unheard-of feat. "Can you do it again, Hinata-chan? Please? You can have some of my ramen afterwards, I promise –Neechan makes the best lunches ever, you would really like them! – just do it again! You actually made it make sense!"

Hinata reddened. If only Naruto knew just how much those words mean to someone like her! A family that was forever disappointed with her, a pathological timidity that had been the bane of her interactions with others for as long as she could remember, and now someone, Naruto, telling her she'd actually done something right! And neither was it a dream. Elated at her personal success and the prospect of sharing lunch with her idol, Hinata acqueiesced with a smile and wiggled her toes in excitement from under the desk.

By the time the bell had rung, the two newfound friends had gone through two pages of the textbook and discovered that one like to press flowers, the other liked growing them and that cinnamon rolls made the both of them happy _(Everyone does, it isn't normal if you don't, dattebayo.)_ It wasn't much, but it was a start that Hinata had no other choice but to be happy with. Naruto had no reason to complain either.

When the first of the students began to file in and Naruto realised their "study sesh" was over, Naruto acted instinctively. Unconstrained and unrefined as always, the blonde dobe pulled his saviour into a friendly hug of gratitude before the cultured noble Hinata was could think about it.

…She wasn't too sure about the details, but the next thing Hinata knew was that she was in the infirmary, with an irritated, but concerned Neji beside her, waiting for her to come to so he could finally bring her home. She blushed even harder when her cousin grudgingly handed her a bag of crumbled cinnamon rolls that someone had asked him to give her.

* * *

Itachi was putting his shoes on at the door when he turned at the sound of his mother behind him.

"Are you going to see Shisui?" she asked.

"Hai, Okasan. I'll be quick about it."

"Okay…" Uchiha Mikoto watched her son mutely. Itachi has always been a solemn child, lonely and isolated from the others. She had been against his early graduation from the Academy, arguing with the rest of the Uchiha council that Itachi was just a boy, he needed to interact with other children his age. Ever since he joined the ANBU, he no longer sat at the dinner table with them and the affectionate hugs between them had grown rare.

If Itachi had been spending the time with his ANBU partner instead, Uchiha Mikoto wouldn't have minded. The different personality that brazen girl exhibited would do her son much more good than the wary, complacent dispositions of the clan and village elders. But since Itachi was duty bound to attend the tense conferences, Mikoto's heart had grown heavy with the knowledge that her precious son was drifting further and further away from the family and from her. The only times she'd see that guarded expression fade was when he was around Sasuke.

"Ne, Itachi-kun," Mikoto said, watching the adolescent dolefully as she leaned on the doorframe. "You are doing alright with the ANBU position aren't you?"

"Hai, Okasan."

"You don't mind having to attend all those meetings every day?"

"No, Okasan."

Mikoto sighed silently "…You know you don't have to go if you don't want to."

"I don't mind, Okasan."

"Itachi…" Where had he gone, the little boy who'd stand beside her diligently as she cooked in the kitchen or insist to carry the laundry basket for her? The very same boy, her eldest, had been forced to grow up so quickly that if not for the care and respect he never failed in giving to her, she would have pronounced her little Itachi gone. It took all of Mikoto's self-restraint to keep from swooping in and gathering the child up in her arms.

Her conversation with her youngest son had only validated her fears.

_"Mama" Sasuke had asked her that evening during dinner, which Itachi and his father had been absent from. "Why doesn't Itachi-nii have friends?"_

_Mikoto had stopped, surprised that her youngets had caught on with the fears that had been accumulating for some time. "What do you mean, Sasuke? Of course your brother has friends."_

_Sasuke shook his head. "Everyone is mean to him," he explained. "Nobody wants to talk to him when we go out except for me."_

_Of course. Children Itachi's age were afraid of him and the adults he surpassed grew to hate him. Mikoto had gently brushed a strand of hair from her youngest child's face before promising him that she would talk about it with Itachi._

And now, instead of thoughtful and quiet, the object of Sasuke's concern only looked sad and tired. Mikoto ached inside because she understood why, and gave Itachi a smile that hopefully hid the liquid in her eyes. "You'll tell me if you're feeling bad about anything, right, Itachi? Promise me."

After a pause, Itachi's shoulders relaxed as he nodded. Hesitant at first, Mikoto gently pressed her firstborn towards her for a hug and said the magic words, hoping despite herself that her matured son was still able to believe in them. "Aishiteru Itachi, you know that right?"

From the depths of his mother's inky tresses, Itachi's felt his heart ache as well. The safety of those familiar arms around him was enough to balm the anxious burden of distrust and secrecy he had long been toiling under. He had forgotten the last time he'd felt safe enough to drop the defences he had built around himself. "I do, Okasan," he replied, his strained voice exposing more of his longing than anything else. At least... at least his mother would always understand. At least she wouldn't leave him, of her own accord. At the very least, she would be as constant as the sun... so long as he didn't pull away. His eyes were smarting at the thought and what it had hinted; he clung tighter to the safety of the embrace and swallowed the lump in his throat.

"I do, Okasan," Itachi repeated. "I love you too."

* * *

_The floor beneath him starts swimming, colours clashing in a fuzzy blur. He blinks, his eyes fixed respectfully on the floor in front of the village elders. His hands curl into fists and his jaw clenches shut as he listens to their summons. It couldn't be true... _

"_We believe you must act now, before the village suffers from it."_

"_Do you understand this Itachi? We have nothing but the village's safety in mind. Your clan cannot revolt!" _

_The scarlet-eyed youth nods, his heart in his throat._

"_So we ask you to accept this mission. An eye for an eye. Only you can stop this disaster."_

_Itachi's eyes burn into the stone floor beneath him.__ So he had heard right, it seemed._

_Danzou's icy voice continues "This is mandatory, Uchiha Itachi. We order you to annihilate the clan with your own hands."_

"_Hush, Danzou," Hiruzen's voice was sharp. The boy kneeling in front of them remained silent. "I will give you time to make a decision, Itachi," Hiruzen says solemnly. "We must come to a decision before this takes place._

_Uchiha Itachi nods numbly._

_Danzou glares. "You are dismissed."_

On later thought, maybe it was a good thing one of her peers (that egotistical, self-centred jerk!) had bad-mouthed Naruto in front of her that day, Haruna supposed. The ANBU kunoichi been ordered to apologise to the Hokage for her actions –like a little kid! -for knocking the guy out. Except instead of just shrugging it off with an IDGAF, Haruna supposed she couldn't quite mind her disgrace as much, stumbling into a juicy conversation along the way and the like. She had halted outside the Hokage's chamber when she heard Itachi's voice amongst the seniors, and upon inching closer to the door (it wasn't eavesdropping, not when your teammate was in a serious discussion with the elders) the whole council, it seemed, was trying desperately to coerce Itachi into a choice.

Nothing, he had told her? Those meetings for the past few months, the ones that had completely taken up all his time and attendance? Haruna let out a snort as loud as her covert position would allow. Teammate or not, she was going to punch one Uchiha Itachi very hard, and very, very soon.

She watched as Itachi stood up and made his way to the door of the council room, and Haruna used that to disappear from her place at the window before Hokage-sama and the elders sensed her chakra. She jumped down a level, eyes following the footsteps of her Uchiha teammate as anger quickened her movements.

If what she heard was right, then her ANBU partner was in danger, and she decided it was time for answers.

* * *

**Chapter 4**

**Authors Notes:**

Ahhh, sorry sorry sorry everyone, but I have been severely hindered due to the inhuman confines of that horrid institution politically recognised as school! I can only hope you like this chapter because I want something to be proud of after finally finishing this chapter, oh, some _two months_ after I actually got the ideas of what to write in it. Severe case of No-Writing-Inspiration, you know.

Aherm, that's enough about me – this chapter has Itachi, his mom, a teensy-tiny bit of Sasuke, and would you believe it, OTP promoting with that little NaruHina segment there. Because we ALL know Naruto's a dead-last dobe and that Hinata loves him. (CONFESSION: I ship NaruHina.) Sorry to burst your bubbles, other Shippers, but in this fanfic, there's just the slightest, ever so minuscule hint of NaruHina if you're able to see it. It's totally not so clear you can see it from space. It's surely not so apparent that it can be interpreted as support of this NH ship or whatnot. Nope. Not at all.

Also, am trying very very hard to actually write a decent story – so this chapter is all about trying to give you a clearer backstory to Haruna, since a few of you have been a bit confused on who Haruna really is. Should I make a character profile? Hmmm… (maybe someday.)

Please review and favourite, if you think it deserves to be. But please review guys. It works better than chocolate and mocha walnut cookies to motivate me into writing more.

-Alatariele C. in collab with Noetic Sky


	6. Chapter 5: Best Tag-team

DISCLAIMER: I do not own any of the characters in Naruto except for Haruna.

There are Japanese expressions used in this fanfic.

Also, I love Naruto. The story and the character.

And uh, I've never tried flashbacks before, but Kishimoto loves them so I guess it was expedient that I did the same. Please don't laugh at my pathetic attempt. =.='

* * *

_**Once I had a Sister**_

_**Chapter 5**_

Best Tag-team

* * *

"_Oof!" A ten year old Haruna groans, and rubs her eyes in frustration. It was her fourteenth failed attempt to master genjutsu. 'It's not like I have Sharingan or anything," she says, wrinkling her nose at the other gakis around her mastering the simple illusion with ease. Even that Umino kid was getting along with it decently enough. As for her, it was the same. No matter how hard she would try, she could only get past the basics. "Dammit. Those Sharingan contacts I made don't work at all!" _

"_Haruna" her sensei's admonishing voice cuts across the courtyard clearly. "If you don't get this straight you'll never be a chuunin."_

_The girl fakes a smile before trying again. When the result is no different than the others she has been sweating over the last two hours, Haruna flops on her back, exasperated. Maybe she really wouldn't make chuunin…_

_By the time the school day ends, Haruna is a walking mass of aching muscles and chakra exhaustion, thoroughly displeased with herself for such an unfulfilling day._

"_Haruna-san," a voice surprises her, drawing her out of her reverie in the blink of an eye. A jounin she doesn't recognise is walking towards her expectantly. "Hokage-sama wants to see you."_

_From her crouched position, Haruna eyes the man suspiciously. Too put out from a disappointing day, Haruna decides she isn't in the mood to be seeing anyone, Hokage or not. "Sorry, I'm busy," she squeaks, before dashing around the startled man. "Take care!"_

"_Oi, hey-" the jounin says, as the girl disappears down the street. The unexpected crackling alerts the presence of an exploding tag on his person. _When did- was it the girl?_ From a safe distance, Haruna breathes a sigh of relief and chuckles when the man rushes off, no doubt to clear some distance before dismantling the explosive she'd latched on him as she ran past._

_When a less-than-pleased officer storms into his office complaining about the latest orphan Konoha had welcomed, Sarutobi Hiruzen decides it was high time he stepped in. "Children feel disappointed, Yoshikazu-san, when they fail in something they are trying to do." He says amiably as he steps out of his chair. "I'll see what I can do."_

iTi

_Hiruzen finds the girl some ten minutes later, sitting on a hill outside town, knees up to her chest, looking profoundly defiant. She scrambles up as the old man makes his way towards her, defences up. When the man just looks at her for a long moment before sitting down beside her, she takes the chance to make her escape. The written seals snake their way across the grass before a puff of smoke brings a wolf at her side._

"_Haruna," the man's voice was very quiet. "I just want to talk. Can you let the really nice wolf you brought go home now?"_

_Of everything the girl had thought the old man might say, this was the most unexpected. Stunned, the little girl turns wide, impossibly childish eyes to the Hokage. The old man regards the small face for a moment, before speaking again, patiently. "You're able to summon things already, Haruna?"_

"_Just wolves Hokage-sama." She shrugs nonchalantly. "But what's the use of that if I can't even become a chuunin?"_

"_Well," Hiruzen leans back and raises his eyes to the skies. "That is actually a high rank jutsu to use, did you know that? Kuchiyose no jutsu isn't something every shinobi can use."_

_Intrigued in spite of herself, Haruna dispels the jutsu and sits down heavily beside the man. Her small shoulders slump in the secure shadow of the Hokage. Sarutobi Hiruzen continues, "I have just the idea for someone like you."_

"_Huh?"_

"_How would you like to be in the ANBU, Haruna-chan?"_

"_ANBU?" Haruna repeats curiously. "But Hokage-sama, I'm only genin!"_

"_I know someone with exceptional grades like you who I think you can be paired up with in the ANBU." the Hokage rumbles calmly. He watches as the girl nods slightly to show that she is listening. "His young age belies his expert skills, he's one of the strongest good genjutsu users we've got, so you'll be able to learn from him."_

"_But then what will I be doing then?" Haruna said, pouting. "I'll just be useless if all I'm doing is getting private tui-" She huffs in exasperation "…too-ii-shun."_

"_The boy doesn't have many friends, you see, Haruna. Your personality would do him good, I think. I'm sure you'd find it easy to make friends with him, and you'll be getting the best education possible under the ANBU. What do you say, Haruna?" the old man asks, his eyes crinkling into a warm smile._

_Haruna decides to give it a shot. If the Hokage thinks she's good enough to get in, then she won't disappoint him. Two days after, she makes her way to the ANBU HQ, telling herself not to be daunted by the tall, awe-inspiring members around her.  
Standing alone at the entrance, one hand clutching a paper bag and a brown knapsack on his back, a familiar red and white fan on the back of his shirt, is the boy she is to be partnered with. He has tear-troughs forming under his eyes but he is polite and addresses her with respect._

"_Hajimemashite. I'm Itachi." The boy says to her, extending a hand in greeting. Haruna smiles and returns the gesture._

* * *

Itachi's voice was low when he asked, "Haruna, why are you here?"

To the frowning girl blocking his way, the enquiry didn't register. Her genjutsu spotting skills might generate sniggers but even she could tell what she had just heard was by no means an illusion. Itachi's stone-calm barrier had cracked and disappeared for the first time - taking the insignificant-to-start-with discretion she possessed with it. She went straight for the jugular. "Care to tell me what's going on?"

"This…" Itachi steeled himself for a pathetic answer, "this does not concern you."

"Bull." She frowned. "Explain. Talk. Spill."

"Haruna-"

"Explain why you've been going to these meetings Itachi. Explain what's been going on with you, your clan and the elders." Her eyes were furious. "Explain why you're here in the middle of the night, for god's sake, explain!"

"…Did you hear all of it?"

"Not enough to know why you've been told to annihilate your clan."

Itachi winced at the brusqueness of her reply. "You wouldn't understand."

"I wouldn't understand? _I _wouldn't understand?" her voice was rising and she was getting hot and she _hated_ it but she couldn't stop. "I'm not going to beg, Martyr-complex" she said drily, "– I could put up with getting you out of every blackmail you fell for, but I'll be damned if you think I'm going to walk away without knowing why the hell you've just been told to –"

"I can't tell you, okay?" Itachi cut in, eyes grave and pleading. "I can't. Please… understand that this is something I can't tell you."

Inherent obstinacy carrying her through, Haruna had no plans of abandoning the conversation. "Itachi," Haruna said slowly, crossing her arms imperatively. "Just how many more secrets are you going to keep?"

Itachi's resolve was crumbling fast. "I can't." he whispered. "I can't do this anymore."

"Do what?" She grabbed his hand, squeezing it reassuringly just like the old days when they were both scared and it was her job to keep the morale up. "We're a team, aren't we?"

The steady gaze in his partner's eyes reminded Itachi just how _tired_ of everything he was in comparison. In the end, it was simple to finally drop the defences. Perhaps having one person know the truth would make the hate the whole world, especially his little brother, see him with easier to bear. Itachi ground the words out slowly, laboriously- finding out the hard way that it was more painful when he confessed it out loud.

"My clan… is currently planning a revolt against the village. Generations of tension have led to this, and my clan is ready for it. I've tried," he clenched his hands and blew out his cheeks exasperated while Haruna responsively tightened her hold on his hand, "I've tried to tell them it's folly but there's nothing I can do. The clan will revolt against the village, and war will inevitably be declared. They've said it themselves, they've planned it all and-" he lost the will to speak and finished his confession with difficulty, "– and it's my duty to be a part of it."

Haruna was silent; trying desperately to comprehend the information she'd just been given. "And you," she swallowed, "You're going to stop it yourself?"

The look in Itachi's eyes as he raised his head to her sent a jolt to her gut. It was not of pain, or of sorrow. It was _fear_ that she saw in those eyes. Itachi was scared. Really scared. "I can't refuse the mission."

"You do know what happens to murderers, right?"

Sharingan eyes closed tiredly. "Hokage-sama said he'd leave the South Gate unguarded for me to run."

A whisper of disbelief escaped her lips before she could retract it. _This is…this cannot possibly be happening, it's your stupid martyr complex; murder is never justifiable, it's unforgiveable, this isn't for peace; you're only going to kill yourself, where are you going to run to…_ Haruna's voice wavered, "I thought you loved your brother.

Pallor, like a streak of white paint streaked across Itachi's face and his voice was strained and she immediately regretted having said so. "I do, I'm… I'm doing this for him, I…" his voice failed him.

For a long moment the two just looked at each other. The answer that followed was so strangled the Uchiha blinked in surprise. "So you're going to go ahead with it? Kill your clan to prevent the war and live a life on the run?" She looked close to tears. "Really, Itachi?"

"If I have no choice." Itachi's face was pinched. "I will."

There was a long and unbearably heavy pause as Haruna's face went from threatening tear-fall to anger and finally, nothing. Itachi nearly let a look of confusion slip when his hand fell back to his side limply. "Be safe then," she said, breaking the uncomfortable silence, before turning and scuffing down the path. "Later Itachi." Then before he could say anything else, she started running, leaping into the air and moving quickly, leaving Itachi behind her.

The Uchiha watched her leave with pained eyes, before turning reluctant footsteps toward home.

* * *

_To say life was difficult in the ANBU was a gross understatement. The ANBU trainers are hell bent on breaking them down in body and spirit, in order to build stronger, deadlier shinobi of them. At the end of every long day, Haruna walks home with Itachi, talking about better things tomorrow before she turns at the corner where the orphanage is. _

_Every day is a challenge, testing and honing their skills in preparation for the battlefield. Though relentlessly awful at genjutsu, every pitiful attempt earning a cold glare from their instructor, Itachi helps Haruna learn how to combat genjutsu to some extent. She summons her wolves on a daily basis, and their chakra stores are close to empty by the time they end the day long after the sun has set. On their walks home, Haruna learns more about Itachi. _

_On the first day, she learns that he has a little brother called Sasuke. He learns that she lost her family. _

_The next day, she learns that he likes onigiri and cabbage. He learns of her obsession for ramen and that she is on the verge of diabetes. _

_She learns about life within the Uchiha clan. He learns that she was forced to survive on her own. _

_He learns of her talent with pranks (by being the victim of many). She is relieved to learn that he can take a joke. _

_Because of their age, they are mostly excluded from the rest, and as time progresses, they begin to make a name for themselves as the most successful tag team of the ANBU. Haruna's meticulously planned traps unfailingly bring every target down where Itachi moves in for the kill. She saves his hide many a time, Itachi never fails to remind her that he always returned the favour. _

_Haruna comes to see the side of Itachi that lies behind his calm front. She glimpses rare moments – like hearing him laugh for the first time after her plan to superglue forbidden jutsu scrolls together worked. And she is the first and only person to make him double up in peals of laughter when she switches the toilet signs around. _

_In time, she urges him to make more friends, and proudly reminds him that she will always be there as someone he can lean on. _

_Itachi, in turn, urges Haruna to train harder, and guides as she hones her awkward punches and kicks to neater, precise attacks. _

_Despite their strain, their fatigue, and the sting of their wounds, Haruna is surprised to find that she is enjoying herself. And When the Hokage returns to congratulate their success; she remembers to thank him for giving her this chance, for allowing her to meet Uchiha Itachi._

* * *

Iruka was walking past the river, just a casual walk to clear his head after the long hours of school, when he saw Haruna sitting at the edge looking profoundly miserable. She didn't look up when he came closer, opting instead to fix her hazel eyes on the placid surface of the water and the sunshine glinting off it.

"Um… Hello Haruna."

"Hey." Haruna was silent, brooding, as she tore another piece of bread off the stale hunk in her lap to the huddling group of ducks.

"Nice day for feeding ducks?" Iruka remarked, beckoning to the bread quickly disappearing into hungry beaks.

His old classmate shrugged. "It was getting stale anyway."

Inwardly perturbed at the unusual behaviour of the kunoichi, the chuunin took the liberty to squat down beside her and follow her line of sight over the picturesque view. "A bad mission?" he asked, knowing from experience the different tolls the stressful ninja life could have on its members. "The ANBU life must be pretty tough."

Haruna shook her head. She had nothing to say, nothing she could say, that would make any sense to anyone concerned enough to ask about her wellbeing. "I've… Just been thinking a lot." She replied quietly, her fingers crumbling the remaining morsels of bread in her lap. Iruka watched the girl's face, the worried creases on her forehead and the tense line of her mouth not escaping his notice.

Reading the silence in his companion enough to understand she wasn't going to talk, Iruka started kindly, "Well if there's anything I can help you with, I'm open."

There was no change in expression that hinted Haruna's registering the remark, causing the young Umino to repent being so straightforward.

There wasn't any reason for him to be so however. Unbeknownst to him, Haruna felt a twang of guilt for her aloofness. It wasn't the Umino kid's fault that Itachi's bombshell the night before didn't herald any sunny contemplations. She hadn't been able look at any Sharinganed shinobi properly since, and bringing the subject up only received tight-lipped answers stating the current harmony in the village that saw no threat to its disturbance. Liars.

Iruka-sensei knew there must be something big going on to have her so subdued, but was tactful enough not to probe. If Haruna wasn't in the mood to talk, then it definitely wasn't his place to make her.

* * *

_Itachi surprises her one day, walking up to her at the bridge where she's waited as he went off to deliver the message to the Daimyo for them. "We've got a bit of time to spend, Haruna-san," Itachi says._

"_We do?" The girl pouts. "What are going to do here then- I didn't bring anything with me."_

"_Well, there's a place we can get photos taken. I'd thought we'd go there." Itachi says, and Haruna stares at him, confused._

"_Photos?"_

"_We are a tag-team, right?" A hint of rose dusts his cheeks, but it's probably the heat. "It'll be cool."_

_Haruna nods and snorts, unable to resist teasing him, "Who knew that the famous Uchiha Itachi, was capable of using the word 'cool' to describe something?" Itachi rolls his eyes and grabs her arm, leading her towards the photography shop._

"_We need a record of the best tag team after all", Itachi reasons. _

_It's dark inside, and Haruna giggles at the funny man "with eyes like a fish" who tells her to sit on the stool beside Itachi. She hasn't been to a place like this before, a room just for taking photos in. The only photos she could remember were those of her and her family when she was too young to know how they were taken. The man disappears behind the curtain and Itachi whispers to look at the lens before the camera flashes. _

_Itachi pays for it, sliding the coins across the counter and picking up the photo in exchange. Itachi looks serious as usual, but Haruna is smiling and Itachi says it's a good photo and remarks on one occasion where his family had to have their photo taken three times because Sasuke had sneezed and his father had wanted to change his outfit. As they approach the village gates, Itachi pauses, and hands her the photo, telling her to keep it._

"_If I show it to the others, they may become envious of me," he says gravely. Haruna doesn't quite understand, but takes the photo home with her anyway, pinning it next to her bedside lamp before she goes to sleep that night._

* * *

_"Foolish little brother. If you wish to kill me; hate me, detest me, and survive in an unsightly way. Foster your hatred. Run away, and cling to a life without honour. And one day, when you have the same eyes I do, come before me." _

iTi

He headed for the Hokage's tower and found the Sandaime standing watch over the village. Itachi steeled himself before he spoke. "I have accomplished my mission, Hokage-sama"

The Saindaime remained still "Did you really fulfil it Itachi?" Itachi did not respond. "I see… Sasuke remains." The old man sighed. "Itachi, your mission is not over yet. You will flee the village as planned. The South Gate will be unguarded for a few minutes until we declare you rogue. You've done your part-"

"Hokage-sama. I have one final request." Hiruzen nodded his assent.

"Please, look after Sasuke," Itachi said. "I cannot ask for anything more. And if… and if you fail to protect him, if anything happens to him, I swear I will betray every secret of Konoha to other hostile villages. My loyalty lies with Konoha, but I will forego my loyalty if my brother his harmed… Please, Sandaime…"

"Granted. You have done well, Itachi… Farewell…"

Itachi bowed his head, rose numbly, and bounded across the rooftops. If he turned around, he would have noticed the sad smile etched on the Saindaime.

He had done it. He had thrown away his humanity, committed the unforgivable crime of one's own brethren, he had cursed himself to a life bound in guilt.

Itachi was running. Sprinting, stumbling, but never stopping. He had to run away. He had to run from the broken bodies of his victims, the corpses of his parents, the tears on his brother's face. _Mom, Dad…_ _Sasuke… _

_Everyone… Forgive me. _

The bitter bile in his throat, the unshed tears, the loud, raw pain pent up inside that Itachi fought to contain had reached their limit. And Itachi caved in.

Falling on his hands and knees, he regurgitated his last meal, the half-digested remnants of cabbage and onigiri splattered on the ground. His throat burned, his head throbbed, and his lungs ached. Fresh tears formed rivulets down his cheeks as he rammed his fist inside his mouth, trying and failing to stifle his sobs.

_I'm so sorry… I'm sorry, I'm sorry I'm sorry - _

A kunai whizzed past his ear. Heart-rate intensifying in an instant, he rolled and got up, arms reflexively raised themselves ready for combat, years of training having honed his battle instincts.

_What - Who…?_

The Hokage had said he'd leave the South Gate unguarded -

_Oh. _

_Danzou _had supreme charge over the Konoha ANBU. He must really have wanted to keep the Uchiha population to one.

"Uchiha Itachi." Eyes darted in every direction counting, two, four, six of them. Two standard shinobi squads, no doubt sent to retrieve and kill him. He could practically feel their chilly glares from behind the expressionless masks. "Your actions are deserving of death."

No, please, not another battle he didn't want to fight… Itachi remained silent, one hand drifting warily to the nearly empty kunai pouch on his side. "I'm afraid…" he began slowly, stalling as he gathered sufficient chakra. "I can't afford to be caught."

"I thought so." A new voice said gravely. Itachi's eyes widened as the ANBU who had since been standing at the back of the group stepped forward. One hand reached up and unmasked herself, revealing cold and hazel eyes.

The ground suddenly seemed to have disappeared underneath him. "Haru…na?"

"ANBU Wolf," the first speaker intoned seriously. "Remember this is a mission."

"No problem Captain," came the reply, so unusually stony Itachi felt his heart squeeze even tighter. She tilted her head in a look of disdain –disdain at what he'd just done and that of all people it had to be _him -_ that had him sinking further. "I can't… I can't have a _murderer _as a friend." Then, to shake off the difficulty she had in getting that across, Haruna took up stance. There was a hint of apprehension Itachi could sense rippling through the group as Haruna took up the command. These people were fellow ANBU nin and jounins; even though Haruna was the best chance they had in subduing him, as his teammate there also stood the risk of her fraternising with him. However, the shadow soon passed. The kunoichi was visibly seething, and as far as they could tell, the anger could only be directed at the traitor in their midst. "Avoid his eyes. And be quick!"

They obviously meant for the follow up to be quick; the nin sprang into action with incredible agility. Itachi, who was already feeling the first waves of fatigue after a night of bloodshed, decided that physical attacks were the plan of action for the time being.

The four ANBU who hadn't spoken immediately surrounded his blind spots. Blind spots –these were hardly a matter of importance. Steeling himself for more unnecessary bloodshed, Itachi flipped backwards and threw flaming shuriken in defence. Preliminaries over, the group charged in for the kill.

As kunai, gougakyuus and water attacks were performed in rapid succession, Itachi understood just why Danzou had selected these nin for this mission. Every single person involved was in a league way beyond the scope of ordinary shinobi. They were expected to bring him back, alive if not dead, or die trying. Under Haruna, whose trap setting proficiencies lived up to her reputation, they had him circled 360 the whole time, setting off attacks and follow-ups between tense heartbeats.

Despite the entire scuffle being carried out in silence, with no shinobi holding back, there were no traces of a battle left in their wake. This was what it meant to be the elite.

_But_, he thought furiously as he evaded another shuriken volley, _of all people, why did it have to be her? She knows the truth -_

Itachi puffed into a log, splintering into woody shards when a wind blade lashed out. He ran, stumbling across the gnarled roots of the ancient trees as he tried to gauge his options reasonably. The sound of seals snaking across the ground had turning quickly, just in time to avoid and block Haruna dashing out from the smoke and palming his chest.

Itachi stumbled against a tree, and paused.

"He's going to activate it!"

Thinking fast, Haruna whipped out a long string of smoke bombs and then jumped into the fray, immediately cloaking her and their target. When the smoke cleared, the rest of the group came in time to see Haruna with a long strike to the chest and bleeding, while Itachi sprung away in the opposite direction, this time picking up speed and urgency.

_Damn it. DAMN IT._ "I'll follow!" Haruna cried as she applied pressured chakra to the ugly gash Itachi had just created on her person. Of course she knew how lethal his attacks could be. Angrily, she summoned a wolf, red streaked and snarling beside her to join them. At her command it turned and began running after the fleeing Itachi, leading the rest of the group on. "Just don't lose him! Quickly!"

"Understood." The masked nin nodded before following the fleeting figure further into the forest, further horrified with this act of cruelty to a close comrade. Just how far would Itachi fall to next?!

Far behind the pursued and pursuers, Haruna touched the clotting cut gingerly as she watched them…

…before puffing into a cloud of smoke.

A few metres away at the bottom of another clump of trees, Haruna heaved a sigh of relief next to Itachi. "Well that was close," she whispered. After checking that the coast was clear, she stood and helped Itachi up beside her. "You're okay? Thanks for playing along."

As soon as Itachi had overcome his initial shock, he clawed at the hand Haruna had placed over his mouth, turning to her almost heatedly, ""What are you _doing?_ This isn't safe!"

There was an indignant scoff. "_I'm _not the one being hunted here." Haruna replied, stubbornly.

"I don't mean that," Itachi said with equal persistence. His hands dropped to his sides tiredly. "I just killed my own clan. Why did you even bother coming after me?"

Haruna turned over her shoulder, eyeing her flustered teammate curiously. "You told me the truth, didn't you? And they were coming to kill you-"

"But you said…" his voice cracked for a second, "you couldn't have a murderer as your friend…"

Haruna looked surprised at his discomfort. "As if I'd actually mean that to you!" she exclaimed incredulously.

They were silent for a moment while Itachi recovered a bit of his strength. Relief also took up a lot more energy than most people gave credit for. "I don't have long though - I'll need to follow them up," Haruna said seriously after Itachi had stopped trembling and didn't have to lean on the tree for support. "I got everything ready beforehand so first things first -" there was a poof as three wolves, one white the other two grey, joined the pair. "When you're ready, follow these. They'll take you safely across the border."

Itachi opened his mouth to speak but Haruna stopped him. "Look on Shiro's collar when you get there, okay?" she beckoned to the bigger, white wolf. Itachi nodded slowly. Time was ticking, the squad would be expecting her return, she needed to make this quick. "And lastly," she lifted out a crumpled square of paper from her pocket. Forcing a bright smile, she tucked it into Itachi's weapons pouch, "Thanks for everything."

That was it. The ANBU kunoichi stepped back conclusively; she'd finally relayed what she needed to say. Before her light-hearted mask could crack, Haruna turned and would have already left if Itachi hadn't shaken himself out of his initial shock and grabbed her hand. "Hmm? 'Tachi?"

He hesitated before finally, "…Thank you…"

Haruna smiled wistfully, turned, and squeezed her best friend tightly. Before either of them could think twice about it, she leaned in and pressed warm lips against a pale cheek. Both of them could tell the other had more to say, but this wasn't the time. There was never going to be the time. Haruna closed her eyes and pulled away first. "Hurry Itachi. You need to clear some distance."

"I know." There was reluctance, but the embrace ended. The wind was colder, mournful. After a thought, Haruna held out her fist.

"Best tag-team, right?"

Itachi nodded and bumped the outstretched fist. Satisfied, Haruna smiled - a genuine smile for the first time in a long time. "Go. Don't worry about me." she ordered, pushing him forward. "If anyone asks, I'm only paying you back for everything."

Itachi didn't look back, disappearing into the mist after her wolves. Haruna watched that nothing disturbed them, before she picked up her blade and made her way after the group.

* * *

**Chapter 5**

**Authors Notes:**

Is it weird that I never pegged the Konoha citizens to accept people who aren't Konoha-born citizens? I dunno. 'Figured that if they'd ostracize Naruto, one of their own, then Haruna, who's practically a refugee, would be a loner too. I dunno, I just thought a young her and a young Itachi would click as a tag-team.

Allow me to explain the happenings in this chapter. Itachi and Haruna joined the ANBU together. Following on from the previous chapter, Haruna manages to find out about the massacre. Massacre happens. Haruna is sent out with another ANBU squad to get Itachi after – surprise surprise, even Itachi falls for it but in the end, a friend is able to help another in need.

Oh, and that little bit about Iruka. Call it random, but everybody needs a little Iruka every now and then.

Anyway, this was to live up to the sadness of the Canon-verse of the Uchiha Massacre. Even though he seems too awesome to show much outward emotion, I really think Itachi did more than shed a tear. I think he wouldn't have been able to keep his composure that long after his parent's last words. I think he was permanently broken after what he was forced to do. And that to be the calm, composed and still understanding (fish for details with his encounters with Naruto, Sasuke and all the deep meaningful quotes he has) hothothothot BAMF the world loves, I really think Itachi would have needed at least one person, just one, to help him up even a little bit.

Noetic Sky, and for all those who have helped give me ideas in aid of my terrible lack of writing genius, I salute you.

Aaaaannnd, that's me out. Please Read and Review.

Much obliged and I'll see you in Chapter 6,

-Alatriele C. in collab with Noetic Sky

P.S I hope that you now understand why Haruna's also called ANBU Wolf. For all you numbskulls who still don't, she's called Wolf, and her mask is painted in resemblance to a wolf, because her summons ARE wolves. And WHY they're wolves… is, uh, the same reason why Kakashi has ninja dogs.

...I might just come back to you on that one.


	7. Chapter 6: Aftermath

**DISCLAIMER: **

Aherm… cough cough* So, here's how life's been going by lately. I have a two weeks holiday to write as much fanfiction possible… 5 weeks later, the only thing that comes out is one chapter. Forgive me guys… I did all I could do.

I do not own Naruto. If I did, Naruto would have married Hinata already, Sasuke would have had his butt dragged back to Konoha a long time ago, Orochimaru would still be cute and I'd be chilling somewhere in Amegakure with my best buddies Pain, Itachi, Rock Lee, Deidara, Gaara, Gaara's dad, Obito, Hashirama, Madara, Kiba (list goes on and on) …

Just hurry up and read the chapter.

* * *

_**Once I had a Sister**_

_**Chapter 6**_

Aftermath

* * *

"_There was an explosion. Itachi had been followed faithfully almost to the edge of the South Forest before he'd set sleepers into the explosive tags. He got everyone, Wolf included. No injuries save from potent drug inhalation and a knife strike on Wolf. Recon squads had found them after sunrise."_

Danzou twirled the handle of his cane thoughtfully. He hadn't believed a word of it. Hiruzen had taken it calmly, the other elders disapproved but accepted nonetheless, but he couldn't bring himself to believe it. It nagged at his mind, had him poring over it since and was certain she was hiding something from him.

Almost a day had passed since the mission report. He was still no further from where he had started.

The elder could sense the beginnings of an arrogant smile puckering at the corner of the Wolf's lips. Insolent girl. Of course he knew she wasn't easy to read (when she set her mind to it) but if she thought she could bide her time until one of them gave up, she was going to have a bad time. He would interrogate her until she broke. Sleep deprivation hadn't worked, and so far water treatment and chakra manipulation had generated the same results. Oh but there were other ways to get a person to talk, some in which the person didn't actually have to utter a word. After lodging a kunai into her thigh and twisting –she didn't scream but the look in her eyes was positively feral – the bandaged man walked out of the cell in search for someone he knew wouldn't fail him.

Haruna had just managed to suppress the pain in her right thigh to a manageable size when the cell door swung open, this time with another person at Danzou's side. She blanched visibly at the sight. Yamanaka Inoichi – the phrase "safe inside my mind" did not, I repeat, did not work with him.

_Stay calm Wolf_, she told herself. _You've lasted this long you can do it again. Just hide it all away. Deny, deny, deny._ That it sounded pathetic inside her head she was aware, but if she was going to keep her runaway mouth shut this was the only form of self-motivation available.

It was silent in the cell; twelve-by-twelve stonewalls with chakra infused iron bars weren't meant to enclose an ANBU agent like her. The sight itself was not unfamiliar, she just preferred being the one dragging enemies inside – not the other way round. Hazel eyes fixed themselves defiantly on the wall behind the two men. Focusing on one point was the first step in creating barriers inside one's mind. Yamanaka-san smiled apologetically at the kunoichi before placing his hand on her head, the stance of mind-jutsu.

Danzou's voice cut through the pregnant silence like a knife, "When was the last time she was with Itachi?"

The girl's voice and tone was airy, "Oh, why it was but last night, Danzou-_sama._" A bolt of hot chakra ran through her handcuffs, causing Haruna to wince in return for her unwelcome sarcasm. _'Well screw you too',_ she mouthed, internally poking her tongue out because that was still an offensive gesture in her opinion. A vicious backhand brought another wave of blood to her mouth.

The bandaged elder repeated his demand. "Well, Yamanaka?"

To explore one's mind was an art of its own kind. The powerhouse of an individual's hopes, talents, memories – everything that made up a person was miraculously compacted into the space in one's skull. There were not many, nay, it was rare to train people in the art of mind-jutsu. It required unnatural amounts of strength-of-will to delve into another's mind whilst keeping control of your own. Which is why not just his enemies feared Yamanaka Inoichi. Resistance was practically futile, especially when one was chained down, exhausted and aware of this fact.

"You don't have to believe me," Haruna began, forcing herself to sound calm instead of exhausted. "But there's no reason to doubt the others who were with me. Itachi took us down. Why would it surprise you when the people he faced last night were no less than Uchiha?"

Danzou chose to ignore this question and signalled to the blonde-ponytail to commence without delay. Haruna's eyes widened and her breath caught in her throat as she felt the intrusion into her intellect. The man was inside her head, _inside, _sifting through the memories. Inoichi's brow was furrowed in concentration. Inside the mind of the ANBU Wolf, it was like watching something on rewind. "I can't tell yet but I believe…."

He could feel Haruna's body shift uncomfortably under his hand. He worked quickly, skimming over the messages each of the senses was sending at that moment in time before the victim's conscience could get in the way. He saw it from her point of view; being dragged into the cell, limping and seeing blood on her hands and from a still dripping gash on her chest when she looks down. Puffs of smoke thick with sleeper, and the rest of the team going down with her. Images and snippets flew by so quickly it was hard to make sense of but the man continued further down the track, skipping over the everyday things without a second glance. She lived rather eccentrically actually, the young ANBU Wolf. He came across memories of other missions, climbing into the jinchuuriki Naruto's apartment window; giving someone she calls an egotistical jerk a knuckle sandwich on the front teeth. She's told to see the Hokage for losing her temper towards a fellow shinobi and then there's Itachi –

They both realised it at the same time, Haruna's breath quickening as the other man stopped at the memory. "She's talking to him," the Yamanaka relayed. "Night time, alone."

Danzou gave a sharp nod. "When?"

Inoichi looked again, but Haruna was already receding inside her mind, walling them away wilfully from the mind-master's reach. Such blockades would seem wasted serving only to stall him in his thorough search, but Haruna was not giving up. "I… hmm"

The command was repeated and Haruna grit her teeth at the added pressure working on the insides of her brain.

"Please have patience, Danzou-sama" Inoichi replied drily. " She's put up barriers in her mind."

'_Some people just didn't know when to stop.'_ Danzou hated it. It angered him that someone from his own ranks would think to oppose him. The girl had nothing, should have had nothing to hide. Despite that irritating carefree attitude of hers she was nothing but an orphan and indebted to the village of Konoha for letting her live. A rule breaker with a fiery will and a strange, warped sense of justice who'd fallen further in his regard since her friendship with the Yondaime's son. Right now, with chains roped over her she was vulnerable and weak and yet… Her opposition was meaningless, she could never hold her control in the state she was in.

There was no other choice for it. From behind the folds of the bandages Shisui's eye glowed.

The strongest of dotusus…

.

.

.

_The day is warm, and the two young shinobi raise their weary faces to the sun, enjoying a rare, well-deserved break. Leaning atop the training posts, they watch the first of the clouds begin to drift across a blue sky. _

"_Hmm?" She asks, not listening to the conversation in favour of the butterfly-shaped cloud in the distance. "What was that, 'Tachi?"_

"_My cousin, Shisui."_

"_Oh, him." The young girl yawns and snuggles comfortably next to the wolf beside her. "What about him?"_

_Itachi's fingers play with a leaf absent-mindedly. "He's already activated his Mangekyo Sharingan, and he's someone you should be careful against." _

"_Why?" she asks, yawning because she doesn't like the topic. Genjutsu sucked, and to Haruna's eyes it is only gaining an unfair advantage over someone. Of course rules didn't work in the battlefield, but she had her prize. Genjutsu seemed liked a cheat code._

"_His genjutsu is the greatest of our clans. He can control anyone, even without them knowing it."_

"_Woooooooo. Scary."_

_He nods. "It's a scary thing when you're under genjutsu. That's why you really need to learn how to defend it, because if you don't, a powerful-enough genjutsu user will win over you easily. They can manipulate you, your mind, body, everything…"_

"_Okay… so, tell me how to beat your cousin then."_

_To her surprise, her partner shakes his head gravely. "I can't. His genjutsu far overpowers mine."_

_**.**_

_**.**_

_**.**_

Everyone's discernment of pain was different; it's form and magnitude inconstant. Sometimes it was lightning, running jaggedly through. Other times, a fire permeating the very essence of one's being. Or a cold douse of water that left you gasping. But no matter what it was, pain caused by an external attack was still pain. When it came from inside however, it was beyond imagination. If she weren't chained down the kunoichi would have collapsed. Nonetheless a stifled cry escaped her lips before she clamped them shut again. She was choking. She could practically hear her ribs cracking under the pressure of being contracted, her diaphragm squeezing her lungs like a fist. Her whole body it seemed were closing in on itself. Blocking the air. Crushing her from the inside. Forcing her to lose her grip on the barricades in her mind - dying… She was going to die.

"Your body isn't going to help you." Even though she was in too much pain to actually listen the underlying superiority in his voice was still detectable. "It's doing all it can to shut itself down."

The string of expletives she had been screaming was replaced quickly with raspy, strangled gasps and white was seeping into her vision. The urge to scream was unbearable, but that would be a blatant display of weakness on her part. Danzou wasn't going to win, even if she could literally feel her chest begin to break because her body wouldn't listen to her no matter how hard she struggled against the influence of the Sharingan. Copper-scented liquid pooled in her mouth when she clamped her lips and clenched her teeth tighter. Some of the liquid escaped, creating intricate red lines down her chin and throat.

Hot liquid was escaping from her eyes and her breaths were painful, aching gasps and it wasn't long before Inoichi found what he had been sent to find. "The moon is new – the memory is about a fortnight ago. It appears he's just come out of a mission briefing – she must have listened in on it."

There was an audible hiss of anger. The Yamanaka was dismissed without any further information and for some reason, Haruna felt a little of her resolve fade when she heard the doors close. The chains were released; she was helpless enough without them. And, with a yank, her head made contact with the wall, followed with a heavy fist to the stab wound in her thigh she'd almost forgotten about.

"So you know?"

She coughed, "I don't have to tell you a thing."

"You are aware, then?" He sounded near breakdown. "Of your teammate's true mission?"

Haruna's arms flew to embrace her upheaving stomach, inhaling rapidly. Her hands were shaking but she was able to get to her feet with a hand to the wall for support. When she looked up this time, all Danzou could see on her was anger. "Damn right I am!" she spat out. "Good on you for realising it was all a sham – the others didn't notice it at all, did they? To think you'd go so far to hide it all, you sent out orders to hunt down the only person who did something about keeping the peace in the village! You sick freak, what else are you hiding under those bandages, huh? Does the geezer know what you're doing?" She clenched a fist, trying to conjure up chakra to summon something to her aid but nothing sparked. Close to tears at her helplessness she turned to the object of her vendetta with added spitfire.

"You're sad, you know Danzou? Are you happy you finally figured out someone knows how crazy our shinobi system has become? Just what did you want me to say, that I'll keep my mouth shut about it? That I'll just stick to being the jinchuuriki's protector because no one else wants to be? What are you going to do now, kill me?" A scornful laugh pealed scarily through the cell. "Don't think anyone else won't start piecing the puzzle together. I bet you're happy with the massacre – you've got plenty of prize Sharingan for grabs –"

This time Danzou sent a blow to the gut. She spit body juice over the cell floor, knees buckling with the force. Shakily, she regained her balance, eyes flaring. The man's voice was like steel, and twice as hard. "You are as naïve as ever, Wolf. If you know everything as well as you assume you do, you'd be aware that Itachi wanted this to remain a secret."

She spat a red glob and wiped the corner of mouth. "Of course I know that. I was prepared to keep my mouth shut about it all. But, thanks to you letting someone inside my head and see memories I'd never allow anyone to so much as glimpse, it's not worth it anymore."

Danzou was never a man of many words. No matter how dirty the method, the end result always justified the means and disloyal, disobedient kunoichi had to learn their place. If she wasn't so completely drained, Haruna would have landed a very heavy kick between his legs and bolted. Her kindled rage was the only thing keeping her conscious and when that source depleted she was a sitting duck. The ANBU head simply gathered chakra into his thumb and first two fingers, paced the four steps between them…

and let the flames sink in.

* * *

"Naruto-kun? Naruto-kun?"

Iruka looked over the studiously (or sleepily) bent heads to see the young Hyuuga Hinata, shyly but persistently reminding Naruto-kun to focus on his work "Before sensei sees you."

The chuunin instructor sighed. "Naruto."

The spiky blonde head popped up from its laid position on his desk, but instead of going off on a long rant on how boring the class was or a passionate justification of his attentiveness Iruka saw a look of consternation on the small face of his student. Neechan hadn't visited for more than a week. The other ANBU nin he'd managed to ask only left him cryptic monosyllabilic replies on her whereabouts. Unwilling to disclose this background information during a class lesson however, Naruto took the chance to inquire where ol' Sa-soo-kay was ditching school for.

The shadow that flickered across Iruka-sensei's face did not escape the notice of his students. Iruka didn't exactly know how to explain the situation to these gakis when even he knew only the barest of the facts. "He's been sick Naruto," the man finally answered, knowing full well it was going to come back to bite him to say so. "He's had a spot of fever, I think, and he'll be back as soon as he feels better. Is that alright?"

Naruto nodded and Iruka heaved a silent sigh of relief as he resumed the lesson. Though the teacher carried the class activities through as usual, the Uchiha massacre he hoped not too many of the children were aware about rested heavily on his mind.

He hoped, as he chalked up another diagram on the board, that his young Uchiha student was coping. After all, he knew just as well as any orphan what it was like to lose your family. Although to lose it at the hand of your own brother … Iruka wasn't too sure he would do much good trying to empathise with that.

* * *

Itachi reached the Fire Country border just as the first rays of sunlight rolled over the horizon. The wolves who had led him safely through the night recognised the place, and stopped at the edge of the great forest. From here on out, he was on his own.

"_The way we think is different,_ _but I'm still proud of you…" _

Realizing that this was his cue to say his farewells, Itachi patted each wolf gratefully before they vanished. Shiro, instead of disappearing, nuzzled Itachi's arm as if to remind him. "Oh, that's right Shiro – something on your collar?" The wolf huffed. Ignoring his aching arms, Itachi managed to reach two fingers under the white wolf's thick collar and pull out a tightly wrapped package.

"Arigatou gozaimasu, Shiro," he said. Having retrieved the last of what Haruna had planned, Shiro nudged the raven-haired boy in farewell. Itachi felt a lump in his throat because he knew that once the wolf left he was alone. With nothing save the blood-spattered gear he was wearing. "Tell Haruna I said thank you, okay?" he whispered into soft, white fur before that too, all too soon, vanished.

Now he was on his own, the strength that had carried him on through the long night sputtered and died. He sank to the ground, spent. It took him a while to realise that the hand lying beside him was his own, a part of him that had committed the unspeakable. Slowly, with difficulty, the outstretched fingers balled themselves into a fist. He had to get up, because if he didn't do it now he never would.

"_If anything's wrong, you'll tell me right, Itachi?"_

A light metallic rattle sounded from beneath him; the package! As he opened it, he felt the first tendrils of apprehension for his teammate and what would happen to her gnawing at him. Haruna, who didn't have a home to lose because she'd already lost them, who needed every single penny she earned, who had to live with the shame of being an ally of his. He wondered how she was going to bail her way out of this one, and he shuddered because he knew all too well what Konoha did to their traitors.

There was money - coins and a modest wad of notes. As well as… A serious him, a smiling her, and even though it blurs dangerously for a second it was the team photo and it was safe.

It was everything he needed.

The traumatised, broken Uchiha Itachi clenched his jaw firmly, reverently placing the picture into the spaces of his ANBU armour. If he could not live for Konoha, he would at least ensure its safety from the outside and he would consider it reparation.

"_You truly are a gentle child." _

Resolve strengthened, the Uchiha stood up to greet the sunlight. His journey wasn't over; he turned his steps towards the rains of Amegakure, forcing his tired limbs to move. One foot in front of the other…

* * *

The girl in the mirror scared her.

Not that she wasn't unrecognizable. No, the dark hair bundled into a regulation ponytail, the hazel eyes, the freckles from too much sun were all hers. When she looked at the figure in the mirror, taking in the small shoulders, the scars running across her skin in mapping lines, the figure toned through years of relentless training; such familiar sights.

She should have seen Haruna. Someone who'd come to terms with being alone, who had grown accustomed to replacing her fear with a smile, who hid her cries behind a brash, loud front. That was Haruna. The girl in the mirror was _Haruna._

Purple and black hues marred her arms, she stood cautiously at an awkward angle, her left leg bearing most of her weight. She even had the same dark shadows under her eyes.

But at the same time the reflection was unfamiliar, and it scared her.

The girl was Haruna until she opened her mouth.

Three thick, dark lines. Four small lines drawn out on top. The mark of the Root. Black immovable seals on the back of her tongue. Disbelief, then realization dawned on her. She knew this mark and what it signified. Be it Itachi, the interrogation, or any other secret the man buried - the price she would pay for revealing the truth was complete paralysis. For how long it would last, she did not know. No one had ever attempted to, or survived it.

Trembling, her fingertips hovered over the lines, wishing she could erase each one. Through prison, behind bars, underneath chains, she had experienced it before. Such physical barriers were not unknown to her. But up until now, it was her speech that had always been hers to control.

For the first time, the wolf was under a new enchainment, and it was far heavier than any she had borne before.

Danzou had won.

All her efforts to oppose him were rendered meaningless now. Haruna gritted her teeth, and slammed a fist against the glass. She may have worn the same uniform, but deep down she had no desire to be one of the awe-inspiring Root, to be Danzou's tools. Their legendary grace and skill earned them the respect of many. But for their entire prowess, they were mere silent puppets with their tongues tied. Ever since she loudly refused to join Root as the other orphans had, Danzou had made clear his dislike for her. A compromise was only reached once the Hokage stepped in.

She could become an Uchiha prodigy teammate, an obedient shinobi, an elder sister to a loudmouth jinchuuriki and come to love it. But somehow, she didn't think she could ever become the broken girl in the mirror.

Her teammate had it impossibly hard. From now on, a murderer would haunt him in every mirror. He would have to live with his reflection, in suffering, in silence.

But now she realized, he wasn't the only one.

* * *

When Konoha's last remaining Uchiha woke up, he thought he was in heaven. Everywhere was white. White walls, white sheets, white-clad nurses instead of his mother coming in to say good morning.

It was the spasm of pain at his shoulder that brought the memories of the night before like an ice shower over him, waking him up to the fact that he was far from the afterlife. Okasan, Otousan – _niisan_ – all gone. Gone where he couldn't follow. He wasn't dead after all. Itachi-nii hated him too much for that comfort.

The seven-year-old tried unsuccessfully to get up, but his limbs didn't seem to listen to him, much less bear his weight enough to walk with. Exasperated at his weakness, Sasuke felt disappointment in the form of hot liquid pricking the corners of his eyes as, strength gone; he flopped on his back on the hospital bed, feeling that the white walls were nothing more than a cage.

They were gone and he was alone. He had nothing, nothing except a desperate, all-absorbing need to grow stronger. Strong enough to protect himself. Strong enough to get revenge.

The boy started hopefully at the arrival of someone at his room, but his hope crumpled to the ground like a deflated balloon when it was the Hokage and several impassive shinobi superiors who just wanted to have a little talk. Sasuke didn't want to talk. He wanted to go home. To Okasan. To Otousan. To a loving aniki who'd poke him on the forehead instead of trapping him in an endless Tsukuyomi.

No chance of that. They surrounded him, questioning or if not, peering at him curiously. As the sole survivor of a massacre, he was immediately the target of inquisitive, probing observations.

"Was your brother display any unusual behavior before the incident?"

"Did he say anything strange? Give you any important information, even if it didn't seem like it to you?"

"Can you tell us about anything else that might help us track your brother? Any ideas on where he would be thinking of staying?"

_No, no, and no- even though I wish I did know where he was_, was what the boy really wanted to say, but he was tired of talking and wanted nothing more than solitude. "No Hokage-sama," he said, grinding the words out between clenched teeth. "I don't know anything. Can I go home now?"

No. They were no closer to finding his rogue elder brother and as he had nothing to do in the hospital, he had better try to help them as much as he could.

But he couldn't talk. It was always his parents, relatives, who would do the talking and explaining and serious grown-up stuff while he'd stay behind them and only watch. If not, it was Itachi. Itachi who'd come in and say something so smart the other people would look down guiltily and leave quickly. Not him. He knew nothing; no one had ever taught him what to do when you were surrounded by questions you couldn't answer.

The patience was stretched so tight at the mouths of his interrogators that he knew his repeated denials of anything irritated them.

Sasuke yearned to sprout wings and fly. He had to go. He had to be training to take Itachi –not his aniki, just _Itachi _– down. Down to the ground where he'd lie, bleeding profusely as Okasan and Otaousan and everyone else had been because of him. Chasing after his traitor of a brother and, and…

"Sasuke?" Hokage-sama puffed a long breath at his ever-present pipe, watching the youngest Uchiha closely. " Can you answer me just one question?"

The boy swallowed, before nodding mutely.

"The orphanage has its vacancies. Do you know where you'll live from now on?"

"Can't I live at home?" the boy asked. He was an Uchiha; where else could he go?

"I'm afraid not."

"But-"

"It is a condition that stands."

This time, the little Uchiha couldn't keep the pleading-and the desperation-from his voice as he repeated the question. He was shaking now, but the old man was adamant. He could no longer return to his home, did he understand? There was no home to return to…

* * *

**AUTHORS NOTES**

**Chapter 6**

So, I know you all want to throw shoes at me for being so late to update, but NoeticSky had to be there or your eyes would have peeled off and burned away after reading total garbage. On that note, I hope you weren't expecting it to be happy. I had intended it to be a little happy but…. ehhhh…..

As Konoha is in the Land of Fire, I assume that any of the high-level secret jutsus used in the Foundation or by the elders would have a flame element touch to it. Dunno, it made sense in my head when I thought about it. Also, now it makes sense why Danzou seems to hate our OC's guts. Oh, and the italicized thoughts running through Itachi's head? Those are all quotes from his last meeting with his parents as shown in the late chapter 500's. (I know, it made me sad tooooooooo T.T )

Shisui's jutsu seemed as if it had more to show. Seeing as his genjutsu was strong enough to control someone without their realizing it, because the mind is the powerhouse of the body, complete control of a person's mind over their body seems to come along with the package. Damnit, Shisui. I want you on my team!

I hope I can come up with Chapter 7 soon. Well, when you all Read and Review.

Till then, and amidst much praise to NoeticSky and her AWESOMENESS,

Alatariele C.

-in collab. with NoeticSky.


	8. Chapter 7: Revelations

DISCLAIMER: I do not own Naruto or any of its characters except Haruna. You can be thankful.

Note that there are Japanese terms in the fanfic, written in romaji and spaced out in the way it would be said so it makes sense if my Japanese teacher were to read this.

And can someone review? Like, please? I'm getting lonely here and I need my fanmail….

* * *

_**Once I had a Sister**_

_**Chapter 7**_

Revelations

* * *

"Naruto, PAY ATTENTION!" Iruka yelled for the hundredth time that morning, as he threw a chalkboard eraser at the blonde head. The object of Iruka's exasperation pouted and shoved the paper airplanes, spitballs and the kunai he was using to mark "5th Hokage = Uzumaki Naruto" on his desk into his lap. Ninja techniques just weren't ANY fun whatsoever when Iruka-sensei read thzem out.

Iruka pinched the bridge of his nose and begged Kami for patience. "Naruto, if you're going to be a ninja –"

"Not ninja, sensei – _Hokage _dattebayo!"

"If you're going to be a ninja," Iruka continued, ignoring the last remark whilst sending a whittling glare at his defiant student, "You should be working twice as hard to learn these now, since you constantly refuse to remember your homework assignments."

"But sensei…"

"No buts, Naruto."

"But sensei!" Naruto was adamant. "I don't get it!"

Iruka looked over at the rest of his students. The majority of them looked bored, as if the scene happened just as regularly as the lunch bell (which it actually was, if not more). There were still a few who found the whole thing as a means of entertainment – village commoner kids no doubt, following their parents in finding fault with the boy.

His brown eyes rested on the girl right in the seat opposite from Naruto. The young Hinata, heiress to the Hyuuga clan. He would always and forever be wary of her parents – on his first day when he began as a chuunin instructor he had been subjected to such a tirade of goals and expectances she must meet because her use in the clan depended on it that he could never look at the ramrod-stiff Hyuuga clan without feeling the need to kowtow and beg forgiveness. Poor girl. If not for the fact that she literally had eyes only for Naruto, who maintained his idiotic attitude in remaining entirely oblivious to it when Kiba even was starting to tease Hinata about it, he would have said she bore a big burden. With Naruto, and all the tried-and-failed attempts to strike a conversation he had seen – he had witnessed it with his own eyes!- Hinata bore a huge burden instead.

Nawww, to think the Hyuuga princess wanted to help Naruto!

Iruka didn't always fancy himself as a good matchmaker, but he did envision himself as a good teacher. A good sensei had to make sure that all his students were happy and getting the best education possible, sometimes obligated to intervene at the right time. That gaki was too much like him for to hope that a word he said actually stayed in his ear. And Kami help him, but Iruka was sick and tired of shifting the lesson to Hokages all the time just to get the kid's attention.

Naruto wouldn't learn a thing from with _him_ –but maybe with the brat's total antithesis he could.

Naruto was still pouting, Shikamaru was drooling on his textbook peacefully, and little Ino and Sakura were deep in girly conversation. Iruka cleared his throat with importance, "Alright then. Naruto, you still don't get it? Fine. Hinata?" Pale lavender eyes accompanied by a squeak remarkably familiar to the mouse he'd cornered the other day met his.

"H-H-Hai, Sensei?"

"Can you stay in this lunchtime? Or are you busy?"

The sensei had to strain to hear the fragile answer. "I… I would be a-able to stay, Sensei."

"Good." He nodded. "Because I want you to go over this with Naruto for me."

A startled gasp, an loud "Ehhhh…. Huh?" and the attention on the exchange from rest of the class –Shikamaru included - was the reaction.

After getting over his initial shock, Naruto leapt out of his seat and on his knees before Iruka. "Sensei, you can't make me stay inside! I've got candy to buy! The new store's opening and the free stuff won't last!"

"Well, I would have let you go, but you said you didn't get it, right?" Iruka felt like he had all the power in the world at his call. Funny what having someone on their knees in front of you made you feel. "Well suit yourself. You're staying inside and going over this with Hinata. In fact," one quick glance at Hinata assured him that he was going to start something beautiful. "We''ll do that for the _rest of the year_. Until I think you're in good shape, you spend lunch inside the classroom. Understood?"

Naruto was about to protest this cruel, Iruka-sensei-I-thought-I-could-trust-you treatment, when the bell rang, concluding the matter.

"Well Naruto, study hard!" He paid no heed to the loud "B-but Seennnssseeeiii!" that followed. Instead giving Hinata a friendly pat on the head for the sacrfifce of her lunch hour. "You'll do fine, I'm sure," he said gently to his most delicate student. He added a wink as well. "You're in good hands with Hinata, Naruto."

The door closed, plunging the classroom into silence. With a characteristic grumble - that wasn't directed at Hinata at all, he just hated the fact that he was missing his lunchtime – Naruto moved his old textbook to the desk beside his new tutor.

Hinata hoped her cheeks weren't as red as she was sure they would be. "Let's begin then, N-Naruto-kun," she stammered. "Would you like to start with chakra points?"

iTi

Half an hour into lunch, Naruto had sunken into a deep depression and Hinata was beginning to lose hope. They hadn't even made it past the first page, much less the first paragraph - the only thing managed to do was linking the kunai to the shape of a candy cane end when you sucked it long enough.

Naruto's stomach grumbled loud enough to be heard over his groans of frustration.

Hinata stifled a giggle while Naruto laughed embarrassedly. "Nihihihi, I guess I'm hungry, dattebayo."

"Don't worry Naruto-kun, we can take a break if you want. It's always easier to think when you're full after all…"

To her surprise, Naruto-kun shook his head. "Don't worry. I'll be toootally fine. Let's just get this stuff," he pointed to the textbooks, "over with. What about you Hinata, go ahead and eat if you want. I'll just uh… stay here and, and read some more of this… yeah."

There was a pause before Hinata soberly replied, "Y-you didn't bring lunch, did you, Naruto-kun?" The silence that followed answered the question for her.

"Neechan's not here," Naruto suddenly said. "I like her lunches."

"Oh…"

"She hasn't been around for a while, you know? That's why I was gonna go to the candy store but Iruka-sensei had to make me stay in and learn this all over again."

Silently, Hinata reached under her desk for her backpack after Naruto had finished his explanation and put his head over his arms so the food his partner would definitely bring out wouldn't make him look like a half-starved dog. Without a second thought she pushed the bento box her aunties had prepared for her that morning towards Naruto. She wasn't hungry at the moment anyway, and sharing was caring.

"Here you go, Naruto-kun." she said –calmly, and without a single stutter, which she inwardly congratulated herself for- to the big blue eye that had been summoned by the smell of takoyaki. "Let's eat."

"Me? Really?"

"Hai, Naruto-kun. It's no fun if I don't share."

Tentatively, Naruto considered the offer. He was hungry, but at the same time accepting offers wasn't something that he was very experienced in. After weighing the options between his eating and trying to study, Naruto-instincts won. But not before agreeing only if Hinata had some before him.

And so the young Hyuuga munched on a cabbage onnigiri and Naruto devoured a takoyaki stick, feeling very glad for themselves as they resumed the private lesson. The former was glad because she was spending time with the highlight of her school day and the latter was glad because Iruka-sensei's threat to continue the indoor lunch lessons didn't look as bad as they had before.

* * *

Many blocks away, and many worlds apart, Sasuke was trying hard to stop himself from sinking in to a deep depression. No matter how hard he tried, Sasuke just could not make the apartment even close to home. The relief at escaping the clutches of the hospital had long since faded the moment the masked shinobi had brought him here. It was just… not home.

The windows faced the wrong way. The carpet was the wrong colour. The switches were in the wrong place. It wasn't his bed. Even the fridge was too large and all he had to eat were packaged imposters of the foods his mother would cook.

He'd never felt so alone before. The undisguised, sickening pity on the faces of everyone else wasn't helping at all either.

The Hokage had said he was lucky to have an apartment of his own and so well furnished but the boy found no comfort in that.

He wouldn't need an apartment of his own, furnished and with electricity or not, if his family was still there...

* * *

The humming and cheerful bounce in the step of the girl beside him made it clear to Neji that his cousin had had a good day.

It was day four of her tutoring program and Hinata was noticing some progress already. If they continued at the rate they were going, Naruto would be ready to make genin sometime soon. The thought of it was enough to distract her from the uncomfortable silences that usually reigned on her walks home with her silent cousin.

Almost roughly Neji broke the silence of his own accord for the first time in history. "Hinata-sama, I was wondering where you were this lunchtime. I didn't see you at your usual place today."

The humming stopped. "Oh, that's right Neji-niisan, I forgot to tell you!" A slight tilt of her companion's head informed her that he was listening. "Iruka-sensei asked me to help Naruto-kun with some work that he was behind in during lunch. We did it in the classroom."

"Ahhhh…"

"You know Naruto-kun, right, Neji-nii?"

"The loud blonde one who always gets in trouble?"

Hinata reddened as she nodded.

Neji only shrugged. "Well if your sensei asked you to then I don't think unc- your father would mind. Although I wonder whether it would be too much for you – Naruto doesn't seem to be the type easy to teach…"

"Oh but he is!" Neji lifted an eyebrow at her raised voice. "Ano," Hinata continued, "I mean, it isn't too much at all, Neji-nii. Naruto-kun works very hard when I help and… and it's actually very fun too."

HInata's cousin cleared his throat, afraid he had spoken wrongly. Arggh, he didn't like his weak cousin at all but if anything were to make her upset, her father would no doubt assume the role of _his _and go on a long rant at him. He hated his fate as a branch family member. "I was only curious." He replied brusquely, before turning on his heel and continuing on their way back to the Hyuuga manor at a quicker pace.

Hinata jogged to keep up with her cousin. "Ano…. Neji-nii," she started hesitantly, "Do you like Naruto-kun? I know a lot of people don't but I'm not so sure…"

. "I don't know Naruto very well," he replied indifferently, without slackening his pace. "But I don't think our clan, especially your father, likes him very much." He had heard the Uzumaki's name whispered by the servants and cousins a few times during training sessions but hadn't given it any thought since. These were matters Neji was only vaguely aware of, and so Hyuuga prodigy only shrugged conclusively.

"I think they find him a nuisance."

* * *

Naruto envied the children who brought bento boxes from home every day, packed with good things their parents or elder siblings had prepared for them. He didn't like all the food he saw – carrot sticks and salads made him shudder – but the fact that someone else had taken the time and effort to prepare food for them was something he couldn't help but feel a twinge of jealousy at.

With Haruna away, it was up to him to get up early enough to make a sandwich and rummage around for a piece of fruit that his sensei's wouldn't question or risk bringing money to school to spend during the lunch hour. He wondered who was making lunch for Haruna-neechan. Did ANBU shinobi have people to make lunch for them or did they have to make it themselves? Or maybe they just ate out. (They did have the money to do that.)

Nevertheless, once Naruto had begun to grasp the fine arts of sandwich-spreading that didn't involve long messes on his countertop to attract flies and ants with; it had become a little custom to leave a little bit of lunch for his neechan to munch on when she came back.

The pile of brown paper bags on his table was growing now. Naruto pushed the door of his apartment open, hoping to notice some decrease in it since he'd left for school that morning but nothing had changed. The lunch he had left for his neechan was still there.

With a sigh, the blonde slid the paper bag (he didn't have a bento-box to lend) he had packed that morning over to join the pile of others at the far end of the table. There were about nine of them now. She'd been away for about three weeks if not longer.

Well there was nothing for it; his wolf-masked neechan would come when she completed her missions. In the meantime, because he was nearly seven there would be no excuse for an untidy apartment. As he lugged the rubbish bags towards the door and arranged the shoes at the entrance Naruto's thoughts drifted excitedly to what he'd have to share with her once his neechan _did _return.

Just wait till he told her about Hinata!

* * *

With the last of his papers graded and piled up neatly, work had finished for the day. Iruka whistled as he did his chores, dusting down the blackboard, checking for gum under the seats, removing any spitballs or tripwires one obnoxious gaki may have left behind. Little Hinata was doing a better job than he could have expected, and as a teacher there was nothing better to see than a student beginning to grasp the subject.

Well, the Uzumaki was still relentlessly _awful _at reading but he could have sworn he was actually _paying attention _to the lecture that afternoon and taking notes. (Or doodling - but he would remain optimistic here.) As long as he didn't jinx it, Iruka thought, maybe the fates would smile on him and Naruto would actually learn something by the end of the year.

It was his grocery shopping day today. After locking the classroom door he headed straight for the brightly lit windows of the supermarket two blocks away. Maybe he'd buy Hinata something for her hard work. And something to keep on hand for Sasuke too, (a tomato maybe? somehow he'd never seen the kid actually eat any lollies. Some chocolate could work, no peanuts just to be safe) whenever he came back to class.

Iruka got himself a basket and started ticking off items in his mental shopping list as he grabbed items off the shelves. His colleagues would be out drinking or at karaoke at this time but the chuunin spent his evenings differently. Truth to be told, Iruka may have been a bit of a clutz when he was a teenager but as much as he would daydream about life-threatening missions where'd he'd save the day, he much rather preferred living life quietly. Before going to bed, he'd either cuddle up with a book, a walk around the village or plan the next week's lessons.

Some would say he was boring, but it was probably because of this that he'd become a bit of a magnet to those who wanted someone to listen. Relationship problems, colleagues dealing with loss, or the little quarrels that would break out between his tiny students - the guy had heard it all. He'd never forgotten his mother's words when she said they were cut from the same cloth. His mother had always been a good listener.

He was deep in thought as he pored over this; he never noticed the orange that came flying at him until it was too late.

"Ahhh damn! Sorry Sir, I was just putting it down and the orange flew off and – oh wait, it's Iruka!"

Too stunned to be angry, Iruka only nodded weakly. He could recognise that voice anywhere. "Well hello, Haruna."

iTi

If it wasn't for the fact that the chocolate was on sale, Haruna would have stayed at home. She'd been keeping a low profile ever since the incident as being the teammate of Uchiha Itachi wasn't particularly appreciated at the moment, but in the end she was going to go mad if she stayed inside any longer. Juggling four oranges had seemed like a good idea in keeping her mind occupied, but of course, it wouldn't be.

She gave Iruka an apologetic smile. "Gomen ne. Silly me."

"Oh no, don't worry," Iruka replied, replacing the orange at the box it came from. "Long time no see."

"Haha yeah…" Haruna didn't quite know what she wanted anymore. She didn't quite know how to explain what she even felt like – upset that her best friend was gone, angry that the superior she never liked had finally got to her, kind-of-but-not-really sure of when and how she'd meet up with Naruto again. When she tried thinking about it seriously, her mind was left blank.

Not sad, not happy either. Just… empty. She honestly didn't know.

Her voice started working before she thought about it. "Watcha doin?" She wanted to talk. She was lonely. How pathetic. "I mean, shopping, but how's life? How's Naruto?"

Iruka's face relaxed into a smile. "Still wanting to be Hokage, so he's fine." He lifted a bag of apples into the basket. "And you?"

"Same old, same old."

"ANBU life?"

"Oh yeah. Still getting bullied by the management?"

The tanned face pulled into a half-hearted grimace. The chuunin had been blessed with the skill to grade papers fairly and quickly, and it had become a running joke that whenever one head teacher went off in the need of a second coffee Iruka was called to take their place – without a raise of course. Haruna had laughed at it when Naruto first mentioned it to her. "Not today, luckily. My groceries were more important." Haruna rolled her eyes. "Would you," Iruka began as the thought came to him, "well, are you going off on a mission tonight?"

"No, I'm free. And now that I think about it, I don't need to buy anything anyway." With that she put the rest of the oranges away conclusively. The talk had been a nice change and it was getting late already. "Well I guess I'll see you around then. Make sure you find your backbone sometime soon!" she added, jokingly.

Iruka laughed. "You too. Don't let anyone bully you too, even though that'll never happen."

He didn't understand why she suddenly went pale as she walked out of the store.

* * *

"Hinata-sama! S-stay _away _from him!"

Naruto flinched and Hinata drew back as Ko, a young uncle her father had assigned to be her bodyguard rushed towards her and immediately began to pull her away.

"A-ano, Ko-san! What are you doing?!"

"Your father has been worried about you – how could you not tell us you were doing this?"

"A-A… Doing what, Ko-san?" Hinata asked with equal urgency, trying desperately to stop stuttering.

The tall Hyuuga stopped and dropped to his knees at eye-level with her seriously. "Spending time with the…" his voice drifted and Hinata remembered that Naruto was there as well, "not coming home straight away."

Hinata's eyes widened uncertainly. Naruto had only taken her to the candy shop twice, while she waited for Neji to come out of his afterschool judo practice with the older children and she had always been given free time anyway. "I was only going s-somewhere with N-Naruto-kun, we weren't doing anything dangerous."

"Yes you were, Hinata-sama." Her young uncle's voice was cold and Hinata shrunk back timidly, unfamiliar with this direct treatment. "Come, you're needed now."

As the man, who Naruto concluded must be her bodyguard, began to drag Hinata with him, the blonde jinchuuriki finally found his voice. "HEY WAIT!" he shouted. Naruto felt sick to the stomach. In the moment those disapproving eyes landed on his person the world was already changing around him, growing colder and sharper as his newfound friend was led away. "Hinata!"

"Ko-san, I didn't say goodbye yet-"

"No time, Hinata-sama.' Hinata's bodyguard shook his head. To think the clan heiress would be spending time with the jinchuuriki; it was a shame to the clan itself! "You're needed at home. Do you hear that, you?" he said over his shoulder to the blonde, whiskered, demon-tainted Uzumaki vehemently. "Stay away from Hinata-sama from now on."

"What did I do? Huh?" he yelled back. Hinata suddenly felt hot tears stinging her eyes. "Hinata's my friend, she didn't do anything wrong!"

"Not she. You." And with that Ko dragged the surprised Hinata away, leaving a bewildered Naruto standing alone.

* * *

The days were getting colder, frost beginning to creep into the widows when Sasuke woke up shivering and trembling from Tsukuyomi-coloured nightmares. It was the memories, the phantoms in his dreams that were beginning to take their hold on him. If anything, the lone Uchiha was exhausted. He was paler, thinner and had dark circles under his eyes now.

Aside from the lady who'd come in every morning to clean up and leave a hot dinner for him, Sasuke spent the month after the incident alone. He hadn't been allowed to set foot within 100 metres of the compound, and there hadn't been any funeral for the clan. The Hokage assumed Sasuke just wanted to alone. No one else understood that he didn't know what he wanted anymore.

The boy stopped lighting incense for his parents. The lady always left a new stick for him to burn in his room but they disappeared in the trash without being used. Okasan had never liked the smell of the smoke; she'd always sneeze whenever she walked into a room pungent with the fragrance. In the long hours alone Sasuke would wander around the lakeside instead and imagine his mother calling him back inside when it started getting darker.

He didn't look at his reflection in the water anymore. Itachi's eyes would always stare back at him, the same expressionless mask on his face. Thinking about it made his blood boil and his teeth clench. How could he miss the signs that led up to this? How could his brother have changed so quickly? No matter how much he thought about it, trying to make sense of it all enough for his seven year old mind to accept it, he just couldn't see it. He couldn't understand how Itachi could have killed his own family, much less fathom the reasons. Already he was slowly beginning to forget the Itachi of before. Thinking about him only brought back memories of the night with his brother's voice low and angry and telling him to run, and then Sasuke's hand would drift to the shuriken in his pocket and imagine flinging them at him.

Getting through the nights was the toughest part. Sasuke had never known what it was like to be alone, how utterly terrifying it was to feel that there was no one else in the world there. He had never known what hate was either, until his hands clenched reflexively into white-knuckled fists every time he was unfortunate enough to reminded of what he had lost.

And Haruna, who had seen it all before, only watched the change in Itachi's little brother sadly. The innocent smiling shadow of Itachi, always standing behind his brother; was gone. Those childish features had hardened and disappeared. She didn't know how the elders could stand it, watching the boy tear himself apart, shattering the image of a kindly brother into pieces and building up a hate-filled monster from them instead.

* * *

"You should really visit Naruto now, Haruna-san. Ask him how he's doing at school."

From behind a mouthful of dango that tasted like nothing in her mouth, Haruna answered coolly, "And is there any particular reason why you can't just tell me right here?"

"Oh no no," Iruka replied smilingly. "I want you to come and thank me later."

With a quizzical look Haruna acquiesced. It really was just about time she finally visited her little brother and was sure she would be able to keep the smile on her face as long as she needed to be. Naruto wasn't going to know a thing of the past days, and as far as she was concerned the only thing she was interested in was how her little Nawu-shama was doing.

She rather regretted buying the dango. Everything tasted the same for her nowadays, whether it was from grief or from the seal on her tongue she wasn't too sure.

She nodded in farewell to Iruka who'd come for his daily dango fix – the lady running the shop had fallen ill and the guy had made a habit of coming to the shop as a way of helping her. _A nice guy_, she contemplated; _he would definitely make the perfect waifu for someone haha! _And, before Iruka could notice the smile on her lips at that thought she exited the store.

* * *

Naruto had forgotten he was hated by the villagers. He had been so happy at finding Haruna that he stopped realising it. But now, like a douse of ice water the reality was hitting him – and it was twice as cold.

He could see it all again. The simple, frosty glares, expressions transforming perceptibly at the sight of him into ones of disdain, of hatred and dislike. The pain he felt wasn't physical; at least it didn't need to be. The looks that told him he was different, a mistake, someone to stay away from even if they never said it openly were enough to pierce through the happy bubble Haruna had since built around him.

With a sinking fear Naruto realised he had allowed himself to grow soft. Before, in the dark days before a big sister had welcomed him into her life, there was a mask, a protective wall that he could hide behind and let the cold treatment and harsh stares wash over. Somewhere down the line he had let it disappear, thinking he no longer needed it because he had neechan there.

But where was neechan now? His defence wasn't there anymore – and the old one, which took so many years to form, had been cast aside.

That was why now, as Hinata was being led away from him, Naruto began to notice with stunning clarity that the Hyuuga man was not the only one. The villagers had never stopped hating him; it was only that he had stopped noticing. The street walls seemed impossibly tall around him. He needed only to glance up to see the people hanging laundry or watering plants' faces morph into ones of scorn when they caught sight of him.

"Bakemono…"

Heart rate rising, the boy told himself to stay calm. He had never wanted his neechan back so badly, her arms around him and blocking away the rest of the world. He couldn't blame her at all – he just wanted her here with him. Now. Family was supposed to be there for you, right? They were supposed to come for you and save you when you couldn't save yourself.

The paper bag still lying on the table when he made it back to him apartment was mocking him.

Shivering, trembling, the jinchuuriki curled into a ball just beside the entrance. He didn't want to go back outside, but neither was his prison of a home any more comforting.

No one was there. Once again he was alone.

iTi

Four weeks. Four long weeks had left their mark on Haruna - she looked tired every time she glanced at a mirror. As she strolled down the street however, she didn't worry about her current physical state. She was going to visit Naruto.

It was late afternoon, and because she'd wasted her money on the dango and hotdog stall that morning Haruna had emptied the rest of her pantry into making cupcakes to bring to her little brother's. All twelve of them were safely packed in the box she was carrying carefully now. She'd tell him they were from a stall in Tanigakure. Best keep her baking decorating skills a secret.

The window was already open when she got there - perhaps he had already anticipated her coming. "Naruto?"

There wasn't any reply; the apartment it seemed was oddly absent of any form of life. She set the box on the table quietly when the quivering bundle near the entrance caught her eye. "Naruto? What are you doing there?"

Somewhere from the haze of dark thought in his head Naruto heard her voice faintly. Haruna, sensing something was wrong went closer but in that instant Naruto's head cleared and he immediately moved away, eyes blazing.

Stunned, Haruna's arms dropped to her sides. "Is something wrong?"

"Where were you?" was the stiff answer.

Hazel eyes stared blankly into an angry blue. "Huh?"

"Where were you, neechan! I needed you but you weren't there!" There were tears pooling at the edges of his eyes but he swiped them away angrily. The person he had been looking for so long was finally here but he had been wallowing too long in his thoughts and had been struck so deep that the sorrow he had been unable to comfort transformed into anger instead. "Why'd you leave me alone? You're the only one who doesn't hate me! No one else is like you and you had to leave me alone!"

He took a breath and Haruna opened her mouth to answer but he was too upset to listen to anything from her. "It's all… It's all happening again! And I don't know what to do anymore. Everyone is just gonna keep doing it and I'll go back to being alone again, and then I'll get those allergies and I…" He stopped when he felt the warm hand on his back but didn't look up.

"I suppose I did leave you alone," she admitted quietly, "Gomen ne, Naru-chan. Neechan didn't mean it."

Naruto sniffled. "But where were you," he repeated, still not letting go of his disappointment yet. "Why did it take you so long? You never take so long, you're ANBU!"

Haruna chuckled and drew her reluctant brother in. "On a long mission with lots of bad guys and I got hurt so I had to spend a little time getting better," she explained, feeling a twinge of pain at the memory. "Did you think I was having fun without you?"

"Well… yeah, kinda." was the reply, startling Haruna momentarily. Had Naruto thought she'd forgotten him? Just how long and how much had she been unable to protect him from?

She pulled back for a moment, and brushed a stray tendril of yellow hair apologetically until he was looking at her. Naruto looked so small, so vulnerable, like she could break him in two if she wanted to. It hurt, to think she'd failed as a big sister as well…

"Well I wasn't," she finally answered. "I wasn't. Maybe Neechan didn't… have it as hard as you, but Neechan's being really honest, swear-to-Kami-and-hope-to-die true when she says she didn't have fun. I couldn't have fun. I was missing out on spending time with Nawu-shama and all I wanted to do was come back home too."

Firmly, but gently, she placed both hands on his cheeks and stroked the black whiskers; bidding his baby blue eyes to meet her hazel ones. "So, no more silent treatment for Neechan okay?"

"S'okay. S'all right." he sniffled and pouted dramatically. "I was just lonely."

"You won't be anymore, I promise" She held out a pinky meaningfully.

"You can't ever break a pinky promise right Neechan?" Naruto's frown immediately dissipated as he extended his own little finger.

"Mhmm, my little fireball. Those pinky promises are serious!" Her little brother grinned as the solemn exchange was made.

Relieved that the tension between them was gone, Haruna carried her little brother to the table, ignoring his protests, and set him down beside the box she had brought. "Now, let's have a cupcake shall we?"

* * *

**AUTHORS NOTES**

**Chapter 7**

Wow, hard to believe this was written in a WEEK. As in, seven days! No. Way. Just don't expect its gonna continue. It's a once in a blue moon kinda thing, miracles like these.

There's a special one-shot I just put up the day before about Itachi, since I was kinda having trouble sorting my character priorities in this fanfic. You can read about our favourite Martyr Complex here: s/9625461/1/Martyr-Complex

My writing inspiration meter had been running pretty low for a while you see. But at least I managed to get Chapter 7 done.

Anyway, as a special celebration to mark this feat, NoeticSky has kindly agreed to write her summary of this chapter. Grammer Nazis not welcome at this summary:

_Lo and behold! Iruka sails the NaruHina ship!_

_Shashukkee ish no happee wid his new crib_

_Ko.. you a hottie.. but you a mean hottie. Why you try to sink the NH ship?_

_Is that orange okay? Naww… why an orange Haruna? Throw a marshmallow next time. Less painful y'know?_

_. nnnuuu, my babehh nawuu ish shuffewingg._

_Cupcakes are the cure!_

_NoeticSKY OUT._

__...

Well, I hope you enjoyed Chapter 7. See you all in Chapter 8, if I ever get any inspiration to get down to it.

Please read and review. But mostly review. :D

Alatariele C.

-in collab. with NoeticSky


	9. Chapter 8: New Beginnings

DISCLAIMER: My apologies again everyone for the long wait, but school's out and I've finally got time to write! YOSHO!

Okay, so: Naruto is the work of Masashi Kishimoto - Once I had a Sister, on the other hand, belongs to moi.

(Long lines mean a change of scene!)

And do I really have to beg? Please read and **_drop a review _**at the bottom, thanks!

* * *

**_Once I had a Sister_**

**_Chapter 8_**

Old acquaintances, musings and propositions

* * *

_"You can't ever break a pinky promise right Neechan ?"_

While the two of them polished off the cupcakes she had brought as a peace offering later that evening, Naruto quickly forgot his initial despondency and after some coaxing, went on to tell her about school while she had been away. Haruna had been bright and engrossed in her little brother's colourful and expressive recounts of Hinata, baka-senseis and the race they had done after lunch, making an effort to laugh and comment. At the same time her thoughts were rushing in tumults, tumbling over and over in her mind because more effective than any sharp reprove could be was the hesitance Naruto had shown to welcome her back.

Cue lightbulb-lighting-up-over-Haruna-head moment. _Time to sort out your priorities Haruna._ The kunoichi was still deep in thought all the way home after Naruto had fallen asleep, tired out from all the drama. Now, the morning after, Haruna's mind was clear on what the next chapter of her life was to be. She had risen before the sun, slipped on the mask and headed briskly past the shinobi rooms to the left wing of the building complex to the ANBU "locker" area, as she liked to call it. Humming secret-mission theme music in her head, ANBU Wolf released the seal on her locker and yanked the door open.

Today she was moving out.

For safe-keeping reasons most of the ANBU nin didn't keep their gear in their dorms or anywhere else. Aside from the bare essentials and the occasional secret magazine or cigarette stash, everything else that mattered stayed safe within the four-by-one foot locker space each agent was assigned. It was like school really, except the classes were missions and ones locker was distinguished by the mark on their masks and kept closed with personalised ninja seals.

The locker room was empty when Haruna stole in. Now if Itachi was beside her she would have made up a spooky story of the resident ghost there like she used to but since he wasn't there and the tune was just getting to the her favourite part, she didn't. The inky mark on the corner of her locker –she'd painted it on herself – was untouched, and when she opened the door she was also assured that her meticulously organised gear was still intact: kunai dozens, spare clothes, trip wire, tags. Next to her though, in the locker that used to belong to Itachi, his mark had been removed without a trace. It rather unnerved Haruna to see it gone but she reminded herself that an ANBU agent like her wasn't supposed to feel anything and focus on doing what she had come there for.

.

.

.

After Haruna had made her way back to the dorms late last night (without waking anyone else this time around) she had been too busy chewing over her next moves in the uncertain future were to sleep much. As soon as her head hit the pillow she began by listing all the contacts she had. She did have a few mind you, the most reliable she could count from the fingers of one hand. They were acquaintances who she went way back with, some outcasts, a few in higher places - all of them being people who owed her a good turn. Loyalty was scarcer than approval from Danzou but there was no doubt that these ones returned their favours.

On the subject of the seal, well, after trying in the mirror and passing out for hours, it was clear she wasn't permitted to speak of Itachi or anything about Danzou that so much as hinted anything concerning the Uchiha massacre. As well as the week she'd spent in the hospital after it. The seal literally judged her intentions before the words even formed in her mouth. The books on **Fuin Jutsu **which replacing the novels she'd read before bed had only served to inform her that there was no way around it other than the death of the jutsu caster. Being a completely new seal created specifically by Danzou for the purpose of withholding information, Haruna had concluded that that seal worked on the **Tenketsu** points around the heart and the first two of the Eight Gates located in the brain. Which, she had further come to conclude, meant that the nature of the seal was to place limits around the Chakra Pathway system. In biological terms, it affected the synapses and signals being sent from the brain regarding intent of an action.

It hurt her heart to think how the Root agents no doubt felt about it. Perhaps they found their inhuman strength by getting angry like she did - by seeing the hateful marks on the back of her tongue. In some countries, seals of this degree were even forbidden.  
Guess no one had told her bandaged commander that...

Itachi was a dangerous subject that only served to make her want to punch a wall – which she did, but stopped after Beaver in the other room had begged her to. Still, there was a letter rolled up and ready to send the moment her partner sent word and she left that topic at that.

Next was the dangerously empty wallet and non-existent secret stash of savings in her spare boots. If she didn't get down to a good mission soon… she'd spree from free samplers at the market and go back to filching from the kitchens (as ninja training).

The last thing on her list was the one that took the most time to think through. Those major problems aside, her top priority was still her little brother.

She was _not_ going to let go of Naruto yet.

Her brown ponytail flicked to the side as she took off the knapsack at her shoulder and placed it at her feet. So just what was she going to do about the orphan wannabe-Hokage she had taken under her wing? She was the Lone Wolf and he was Cub, but she really hadn't been doing much in terms of being a big sister. Okay, it was a good thing for her that Naruto was easy to please with her iced cupcakes. What wasn't a good thing was that  
a) they didn't get much time together in the first place,  
b) if he found out anything about what had happened lately or, Kami forbid, what she had done in the past as an ANBU, he would no doubt have second thoughts on just who he had accepted as his sister  
and c) if she really was a big sister she should play a bigger role in his life.

A twinge of guilt had struck Haruna after realising that apart from knowing who his teacher was, she had no idea what Naruto was even doing at school. She hadn't gone to the Ninja Academy very long so she had no clue to what the Konoha village would be teaching their six year olds other than how to read and make sandcastles. The citizens still hated and scorned the Uzumaki's very existence, and it was with a heavy heart that she understood her little brother wasn't ever going to achieve his Hokage dream at the rate he was going by without her help. Bottom line was, Haruna decided, while feeling a surge of determination as she did, that now she had gained Naruto's trust she also had to prove she actually deserved it.

And, being nearly three in the morning when finally reaching this conclusion, she had gone to sleep knowing exactly what to do next.

.

.

.

Her knapsack would do to hold everything she held in her locker, which is why she'd taken it with her. Step One, clear stuff out of locker and vacate the premises beforehand as a precaution - and also since it would be embarrassing to do it afterwards when everyone else would be watching.

Haruna was halfway through her chore and still humming the secret-mission theme music when a voice behind greeted her. "Why, if it isn't Wolf?!"

There were three nin, all masked; two men and one female - curvaceous even under the ANBU armour – at the doorway. She had not noticed their arrival; they were good. Mustering all the dignity she had with her rushed ponytail and sleep-crumpled clothes, she dropped another shuriken into the bag before straightening respectfully. "Yo."

There was a brief silence as both groups assessed the other. Judging by the grassy bag the tallest was holding, the three must have just returned from a mission, although their spotless uniform showed otherwise. As no identities were being revealed (not that no one recognised each other, it was just honorary custom among ANBU to) Haruna said as politely as she could manage: "If anyone's going to take off their mask sometime soon that'd be great… Or are we just going to stay here and play Guess-Who?" Not being one to dawdle with particulars and commenting on the weather, she pointed a finger at the orange and black patterns on the ceramic of the female shinobi in the middle's mask. "Age before beauty – would you like to do the honours, Tora?"

"You haven't changed a particle Wolf," the female in the middle said huffily. Lifting a honeyed-tan hand gracefully the kunoichi unmasked herself to reveal deep green irises and the familiar stately expression that seemed to have been stuck there since birth. Two years her senior, Tora was beautiful in a cold way and blessed with the ability to ooze grace and poise regardless of the occasion. With her brunette and hazel combo Haruna had always been her converse and it was entirely natural for the two of them to greet each other with just the slightest hint of aversion. One of her kind, Tora was the only mystic Konoha had in their ranks as well as the speediest. Before joining the ANBU Haruna had been told that she was the apprentice to a priestess somewhere in the mountains and was knowledgeable in tarot card reading, spirit possession and other otherworldly, "voodooey-type" things. She was also an ice queen who never failed to remind those who crossed her that she could out-run them any day. In the nicest way possible of course. "Same blunderbuss as always, I see?"

Still, Haruna caught the small, excited-to-see-her-but-just-not-going-to-show-it smile. "I know you missed me Tora-Kuudere."

"Kuudere?" the man with the rabbit mask asked as he too unmasked himself, revealing the face of another of the cream of the ANBU crop they belonged to. "If you ask me Tora's more of a yander- Ooof!"

"Usagi, Tora will really kill you one day," Haruna said with a light-hearted sigh. Tall and handsome in a bookish-smart-type way, Usagi was someone Haruna was on casual-speaking terms with. He was lean and wiry but by no means weak and shared a common preference to non-fiction books with Itachi. What set him apart from the rest were his intellectual abilities – or, in Haruna's book, the addiction to games she had discovered he was hiding – and the way he could remember every detail in the books he read. "Are you going to say hello to Nezumi yet, Wolf?" ANBU Usagi asked with a soft smile, a trademark of his.

"I was just getting there," she retorted. "Good to see you too Usagi," she added, before turning her attention to the still unmasked Nezumi and greeting the last of the trio cordially with a playful punch to the shoulder.

Akin to his namesake, Nezumi was a mousey haired, freckled guy with a knack for obtaining information. Observant, easy to get along with and skilful with his fingers, when it came to catching wind of new information, Nezumi was unparalleled. He was well-versed in numerous social circles, and the scope of his underground networks was still unknown, which was often relied on to get access into organizations, parties and gatherings of interest. Apart from his profieciency with the kunai, Nezumi was also fearless… in the sense that he would say what was on his mind whether he thought about it first or not.

Usagi was often burdened with the task of apologising to the people Nezumi's blunt comments and unfazed expresssion accompanying it complained of. This also meant that 'Little-bitty-Nezu-chan' and 'No-guy-wants-to-date-you Wolf' never got through anything together without grabbing at each other's throats at least once. When two people were blunt to a fault, there was an unspoken law of Nature that quarrels were bound to ensue. This time however Nezumi only shook Haruna's hand and, peering at her wrist, remarked, "You've gone thin Wolf. Are you alright?"

Haruna eased her hand from his grip and shook her head. "Since when have I not been?" she asked airily as she too unmasked herself, trying and failing to get her ponytail to flick the way Tora's curls had to the side. With her mask off, the triad saw the same hazel eyes and trouble-making grin. "Well! The 'NUT Trio', all in the flesh! Where on earth have you guys been for the last, oh, six months?"

"Tsuchi no Kuni." Tora, ever the leader as always. "We've just come back."

"Not that it was any trouble or anything." Nezumi added. "And I would have thought you'd grown out of that nickname, Wolf."

"Yeah, sailing was uh, better than..." Usagi coughed and looked out of the corner of his eye to Tora. "…walking…"

"Tsuchi no Kuni?" Haruna asked curiously, holding back a laugh as Tora dealt a swift elbow to Usagi whilst maintaining her rigid expression. "Nothing ever happens there in the Land of Earth."

"And yet…" Tora began, sweeping her dark amber locks with undisguised flair. Haruna remained indifferent, knowing full well that she was one of the rare persons who didn't think the tall, hourglass, graceful-without-trying Tora was some goddess for it. "Things aren't as calm as one would believe - although you probably might not have been outside that much so it's understandable." She added characteristically.

"Hahhhh-have!" He cleared his throat. "_Have…._ you heard any news of the missing children?" Usagi asked quickly, jumping in before the death glares the other two were shooting at each other burnt the entire complex down.

Wolf shook her head. "Heaps of kids are missing," she commented sceptically. "Ever cared to look back at the orphanage? Taking a trip back to home sweet home?"

"I did." Nezumi replied, startling both parties after seemingly disappearing from the conversation. "I visited all the ones I could but no one's seen the kids. The numbers are rising past forty and for all we know they've vanished."

"So…" Haruna summarised bluntly, "you failed your mission?"

Nezumi shook his head quietly while Tora immediately laughed and denied the possibility of failure. "No," Usagi answered. "We came back to tell Hokage-sama that we've found out that all these children, although reported missing from all over the globe are connected. I'm sure of it."

"Because these kids aren't dead," Tora had taken her hands off her hips and stood beside her teammates seriously. "They aren't dead and I know it. The next place we're checking is Kirigakure; I felt chakra signatures there."

"I heard there's a facility, or maybe more, where these children are being detained. Usagi thinks they're being abducted for some kind of child slavery scheme but who knows?"

When it came to the Uchiha and Wolf tag-team one would always be interrupting the other - or more correctly, Haruna made it inexplicably clear that she preferred to be the one to recount the mission. It was cohesion (of a sort) but the between the "NUT trio" it announced itself for all to see, one aspect being their habit to finish each other's sentences for one another.

"You know Wolf," Tora remarked seriously, changing the subject after a subdued pause followed Nezumi's input in the conversation. "I'm surprised you came here on your own. You never shut up about the headless ghost here."

"Well that's just because I've learnt how to master scary stuff since you were out Tora," was the smooth retort as ANBU Wolf went back to emptying her locker. The kunai set, extra sets of clothes, her coupon booklet all went into the knapsack. Tripwire and fake glasses fell to the ground with a clatter before they were picked up and shoved them into the bag as well. "How sure can you be that it isn't right behind you?"

"Umm… we heard about Uchiha too," Usagi said over the ghostly moan that accompanied Haruna's rebuttal , his voice low. The mention of Itachi halted her abruptly and her hazel eyes darkened ever so slightly. "That was unexpected… How are you coping?"

"He was from our batch so…" Nezumi began but died away when Uchiha's tag team partner just shrugged. Though the shinobi in the room were dysfunctional with one another as companions, there was still the unspoken camaraderie, and understanding too because they all had their fair share of personal grievances, that showed through as they left the matter at that. After clearing his throat, Nezumi steered the conversation onto the food they'd tried and the bars he went to during their mission and the meeting took a more light-hearted tone.

The Tiger-Rabbit-Rat trio, - or, in immature Haruna-speak: "The NUT TRIO!" - had always somehow been stuck together since birth or something. Even at the orphanage to the time they'd made their ways up the ANBU ladder, Tora, Usagi and Nezumi were inseparable. They'd even picked their names together, taken straight from their Zodiac years and announced proudly as they were given their ANBU tattoos. The mission life hadn't altered them as far as she could tell, although Haruna was more than suspicious over Nezumi's reasons in frequenting the bars and night clubs. "Just for the information" her ass.

"So Wolf," Nezumi said, some subject changes later, '"where's your next mission at? And why're you taking your stuff out?"

Oh, right. She was in the locker room and the only time anyone actually went there was before or after a mission. It had become a tradition among shinobi to visit their locker room last thing before departing. The locker was finally bereft of her personal belongings and her knapsack just beginning to feel heavy. Haruna decided not to announce her departure just yet.

"Well," she replied with no small degree of mystery lacing the tone, "...wouldn't you love to know?"

* * *

Poor Iruka felt the headache that had been creeping up on him all afternoon crest and burst like an ocean wave hitting a sea cliff. The class had been irritable in perfect synchrony that day, the deadline for the papers he was marking shortened to the point of impossibility, Naruto being_ Naruto_, parents complaining to him because of Naruto and now, as he closed the door of his teacher's office – the one sole place of refuge he had in the trying life of a sensei – and sighed into it, the Hokage hadn't been very helpful either.

Just try to understand him, the grandfather figure had advised him after he'd seen the despondent chuunin sitting with his head in his hands at the back of the school. Naruto was only trying to get the attention he was being deprived from and as his teacher Iruka-kun was supposed to keep trying.

Except Iruka wasn't in the most enthusiastic of moods, especially since nearly getting his head chewed off by a jounin that Naruto had thrown ramen – a whole, steaming cup of garlic and soy instant ramen that took gargantuan amounts of toothpaste to get the smell off – at when he'd walked by with his family. His explanation: he was only warning his daughter to stay away from the kid. Iruka had been called from his first real bento box in two weeks to the Department where he apologised in his student's stead. It was a shame worth spending his free hour sitting dejectedly at the back of the school. He had _saved up_ for that bento box (bought it from the store excitedly that morning as a personal treat) and it was all but spoiled with the I-told-you-sos that came soon after from the rest of the teaching department.

Aside from laying on the sucks-to-be-you far too thickly for his liking, Naruto's latest scene had turned up the volume in the conversations on how the Hokage needed to rid the school of his presence. Iruka didn't know what to feel anymore. It was true Naruto vexed him to no end but neither did he want to agree with what his colleagues all believed. The loud whispers, the little side-comments and meaningful looks each academy instructor would use to remind everyone else that _they _thought exactly the same way everyone else did about Uzumaki made Iruka less inclined to do the same. Iruka didn't hate Naruto, okay? He didn't really hate anything except badly written novels and if he had to be honest, he saw too much of himself in the little idiot to write him off completely. It was just hard to have enough patience to see past the boy's abrasive and habitually scapegoated persona long enough to acknowledge the bits of good work he put out now and again.

Why, Iruka contemplated as he sat with his back to the wall and stared at the crowded interior of the little room, did he have to feel guilty every time Naruto mentioned anything about having no one to go home to? That one time when he hadn't sent him out of class, Naruto had been so obviously confused, as if he wasn't used to any teacher cutting him some slack. The sight had made such an impact that he vowed not to send Naruto out of class again. Why was it that he had to feel hurt when someone lashed out at Naruto when the kid just laughed raucously and said something rude back at them?

Mizuki had always said the problem with him was that he was too kind. Or was it just that everyone else had forgotten how to be…

His brown eyes scanned the walls, falling on the stack of reports on the middle shelf, ready to hand out at the end of the week. Reports he'd made for every student in his class – reports that their parents would see and congratulate their children on except for Naruto's. Reports that, like every other one he and the teachers before him had written, would end up thrown away at the end of the year because he had no parents or caregivers to show them to. Just the way it had been with him… Iruka pressed a hand to his head in calming circles. He had seen an improvement; he had seen it with his own eyes after pinching himself to make sure he wasn't suffering from caffeine-induced euphoria. Naruto had actually shut up and listened to Hinata's timid voice try to explain the lesson during the lunchtime tutorials he had started- and that was all Iruka had needed to know that there was still hope. Naruto wasn't doomed to be the bane of every decent classroom lesson, and he certainly wasn't destined to be hated.

But what could Iruka, one Umino Iruka, do? He had neither social standing nor any skill that demanded respect, no great achievement to be remembered by. All he had was the duty of being Sensei to Konoha's jinchuuriki and what good had he done since? Hinata had already been ordered to have her desk shifted to the front of the class away from Naruto's, and Iruka had the uncanny suspicion that Hyuuga Hiashi wasn't the only one who would.

"Sensei? Iruka-sensei!"

He opened the door to see four pairs of eyes staring up at him. "Sensei!" One kid announced seriously, the dark-haired one he was sure would be a good Class Rep one day. "Naruto made a huge dust cloud with the blackboard eraser-"

"And now there's a big cloud in the class…"

"AN' IT'S AWESOME, NE, SENSEI?" Naruto yelled, pushing his way in front of the students as if his latest damage-to-school-property was an amazing feat, a smug expression on his impish face. "WE CAN PRACTICE HIDING IN SMOKE PELLETS NOW! NO WAY WE NEED TO WAIT TILL NEXT YEAR UH-HUH!"

Iruka waited until the class clown, the bane of his teaching existence, had stopped chortling before moving. To the wonderment of his students and the surprise of Naruto, he didn't touch the result of Naruto's work that floated strangely in the middle of the classroom. He didn't even scold him. Instead, he picked up the blackboard erasers, placed them neatly where they were supposed to be before turning to his wide-eyed students.

"Mei-chan, can you open the windows for me please?" A double ponytailed girl nodded and did as he suggested. Making eye contact with every student in the room until they rested on Naruto, whose grin was rapidly evaporating into one of caution, he put on a bright voice and said, "I was needing those erasers cleaned – thank you very much Naruto-kun. And, while the wind cleans the room up for us, we'll use the playground until home time, alright?" This suggestion was met with much approval and no further complaint was heard from the rest of the class.

Naruto lingered uncertainly behind the students, unsure at this unexpected 'punishment'.

Iruka smiled and then carried on as if nothing happened.

* * *

The day was one out of a story book – perfect sun, perfect sky and the perfect wind, soft but with purpose. The kind that life-changing decisions were made in, cathartic moments cued, when a path suddenly appeared in an unclear future. Hiruzen Sarutobi realised the beautiful weather really was meaningful that day when a knock sounded at the door.

"Hokage-sama." If she were grinning he'd call her Haruna but the Sandaime saw only Wolf standing at the doorway, arms crossed and eyes set. "If I may, I've made a decision."

"Oh?" he asked candidly, "Surprisingly polite today I see, Wolf?" A lot of people didn't want to make decisions, Sarutobi contemplated thoughtfully. It was always so much easier to be told what to do. So did Haruna for a time, but she'd grown a lot more since the last time he'd asked her a favour. "I suppose I must be flattered. Well then, tell away." The old man gave a curt nod and silently prayed that whatever was forthcoming, it didn't make the little girl he'd chosen to accompany Itachi-kun disappear completely.

ANBU Wolf walked up to the desk in calculated steps and cut right to the chase. "It's been nearly eight years, Hokage-sama. I believe a change in lifestyle would be fitting – I would still be working for the village of course, but at my own time and in my own way."

A puff of smoke drifted lightly into the air. "Yes?"

"Not like a normal jounin and not just changing ranks…" She paused, turning her gaze to the painted mask in her hand. Hiruzen observed the white knuckles gripping it. "I'd like - I request… permission to leave the ANBU, Hokage-sama."

Ah… So it was to be a decision of that sort. Haruna really was someone who refused to be forgotten. Levelly, and hinting more emotion in his voice than in his deliberately nonchalant expression, he commented there was no need for her to visit him in the HQ office – she only needed the permission of her commanding superior.

"Hokage-sama, I have a proposition." Haruna said quickly. Just as he'd surmised… Hiruzen didn't reply but he placed his pipe down on the table inviting her to continue which, after taking a breath, she did. "I'd like to be an agent under your orders alone. Undercover," she explained shortly, knowing full well that the Sandaime heard the unsaid underneath it. "Like the Sannin and the White Fang. I don't want to quit being a ninja I just… don't want to be in any of the ranks if that makes sense… to you…"

One greying eyebrow inched higher in the lined forehead. "It's not an easy life, not belonging somewhere."

"But that's not what I'm asking for, Hokage-sama. I just won't make promises I can't keep."

A pause. In order to hide the approval he had in her answer, Hiruzen rose from his seat and beckoned Haruna closer to the window. Down below the village life still went on in its suburban routine. Families walking together, the buzz of the market, young love and old. Life had resumed as it was bound to and it was time, he supposed, for the shattered to move on. He remembered a time, not too long ago when his students, young Tsunade and then Jiraiya, had come to his office like this and like a familiar haunt the same request was asked. The Hokage sighed inwardly at the nostalgic feeling and wondered if Haruna's hazel eyes had always been so determined.

"I also requested this in order to be able to better oversee Naruto," Haruna said, as if reading the man's mind. "I was made aware that missions that involve guarding him are often turned down. For the safety of our jinchuuriki, especially since this hate is born out of fear of the Kyuubi, I would be glad to commit myself to this task."

"Watching over your little brother, Wolf-san?"

"Hai."

Her hazel eyes told him that there was more to it, a heavier, colder and darker undercurrent to her expressionless reply. Hiruzen changed the subject to one that had often been on his mind as he led the way back to the desk. "I still wonder about your involvement with our jinchuuriki, Wolf, but I daresay that I am still glad of it," he admitted, to Haruna's surprise. "Perhaps passing the law that no one was to lay a hand on the Uzumaki wasn't enough. I hardly expect the Yondaime would thank me for what I've allowed his son to endure."

There was a shadow of suspicion in Haruna's eyes; the man could see that she thought likewise. His eyes drifted to the portrait of a blonde, ocean-eyed man staring seriously from the wall and he said, as if as an afterthought: "I wonder sometimes, what the Konoha ancestors would think of the village they left behind..."

Following his gaze, Haruna gazed upon the familiar visage of Namikaze Minato, Konoha's Yondaime and Naruto's father. Haruna didn't remember much of him because Hiruzen was leading the village when she first came there but she had heard of the man. A child prodigy in his time and his beautiful crimson-haired wife.

"My favourite of the Konoha ancestors is Lady Mito," Haruna offered from the little bit she knew of Konoha history. "I think she's badass." So far the subject of Naruto's parents had never crossed her mind; they were faceless and nameless in her little brother's mind because his lineage was kept hidden from him. Looking up at the face of Naruto's father, Yonadaime Namikaze Minato, the kunoichi wondered what both he and Lady Kushina would think if they saw what she was doing with their son. She highly doubted they'd be handing her any Best Babysitter awards.

Hiruzen gazed at the portrait for a wistful moment before turning his attention to Haruna standing straight from the other side of the desk. "Perhaps they weren't aware that the village wouldn't take kindly to the Kyuubi, be he sealed safely in their son or not but if they were here, Minato-kun and Lady Kushina would be much more grateful to you." He said pensively. There were dark shadows under Haruna's eyes and he added, kindly, "You've done a good job with the night patrols."

Though she appreciated the Hokage telling her so, Haruna bowed modestly but didn't reply. It was the least she could do after all and entirely worth the trouble. Hiruzen obviously thought it more than that and continued.

"Taking that into consideration, perhaps you would be better suited for a position that gives leeway to personal preference." concurred the Hokage, in the midst of preparing his pipe for a headache-reducing smoke. "You've thought this through I hope, Wolf?" Deep down though, he knew that for once the light-headed girl actually had. "The life isn't consistent like it is under the shinobi ranks."

"Hokage-sama," she reiterated politely but firmly, "the only thing I need is your permission."

"Taking you off the ANBU means that I will have to work to come up with a passable reason for it…"

"Isn't the work, the_ people_ involved - aren't they not reason enough?"

"Ah but our _ANBU Wolf_, leaving the ANBU because the work, stress and danger involved proved to be too much for her? That seems rather… anticlimactic," he reasoned. "However," he continued quickly, his tone dropping to a one more fittingly serious, "in all honesty your proposal works quite well for me – Haruna."

So things were beginning to move. "I'm not quite sure if I like the sound of that," she said heavily and with barely disguised scepticism. "But do continue."

A newly opened scroll, its seal just recently opened, was lifted from the top of a pile of important paperwork. The symbols on the edges of the paper informed that it was from the Ninja Academy. "As of today Uchiha Sasuke, the survivor of the Uchiha clan massacre, has been absent from class for more than a month if not more. I do not suppose the child enjoys his exile, in a manner of speaking, any more that any child would and I hear that he has been adamant in his longing to return home."

"And how does my wanting to work solely under your orders yet to my own freedom etc. etc. lead in to any of this?"

"Young Sasuke is smart and working hard to follow the footsteps of his older brother. Nonetheless, a break of this length of time and the reasons involved also leave the undeniable possibility that he will struggle in even getting back into the routine of school. You know very well just how harrowing it is to lose one of your own, am I right?"

"Hokage-sama, if I may be so bold, please get to the point."

"The point is, child, that Sasuke requires helpful intervention. Someone knowledgeable but, most essentially, able to empathise with him." As he explained this, his hands were also sifting through the contents of his drawers until they rested on the grey surface of her data file. Wolf Haruna, was the name on the top – she'd never given him a last name. The man opened it and ran his wizened fingers down the small paragraph on her background story and the long list of missions, all of them under the mark red swirl of the ANBU. "I will agree to your proposal and its conditions, on the grounds that you accept your first mission hereafter."

She tried, but was unable to suppress the grin that came forth from this statement. "Fire away Sir."

"As of today you are granted dismissal from the Konoha ANBU under my orders to assume the role of a freelance shinobi. In this position I hereby give you your first mission…" A pregnant pause; Haruna straightened expectantly.

"You are to be Sasuke's personal tutor from now on until further notice."

Haruna's face morphed from one of determination into one of complete disbelief. "R-right... Tutoring."

"Are you having second thoughts - little Cub?"

There was a pause. "Tutoring?"

"Yes, although judging by your reaction you aren't ready for a position like this, hmm?"

As expected, Haruna vehemently denied it immediately, thus settling the arrangement. The Hokage smiled, looking suspiciously as of he'd planned this from the start. Haruna felt the cold thrill of premonition for an instant - it was as if she had played herself right into the plans of someone else. Like Itachi... It soon evaporated, however, in the light of better judgement. In retrospect this proposal worked well for her as well - she was great around kids (?) the job was still in Konoha, she was out of Danzou's rule.  
(Plus, _if she did this well enough,_ Naruto might even get a new friend. That would be a good thing.)

"Hai, Hokage-sama," she saluted respectfully before she got too motivated over just how well this proposition might work out. "If you'll announce my glorious arrival to Sasuke-chan, I'll start tomorrow."

* * *

AUTHORS NOTE:

Because most of the ANBU masks are animalistic, these new characters are inspired by the Chinese Zodiac. (And Fruits Basket, but that's not the point here.) Their personalities are also meant to go with the animal they are under – although this doesn't mean they it's their ACTUAL Zodiac year -at the moment-. I went with the Japanese translations for them.

Tora = Tiger. As a mystic, Tora would be closest to a "**_Miko" _** or Japanese priestess who usually works alone and, according to their level, is able to work with the supernatural world. I suppose as ninjas one would get their fair share of ghosts, right? (Any ideas you readers would have on her character would be appreciated.)

Usagi = Rabbit. They are said to be quiet and intellectual.

Nezumi = Rat. Said to be quick-witted and versatile.

That's all the information I can disclose on them so far, but don't forget them!

xXx

_KUUDERE: A ridiculously generic term for a person cold on the outside, but inwardly sweet and loving._

_YANDERE: Another generic classification of a character who is either psychotic or violent (or both) at times concerning people of significance to them. Yandere characters usually have a lot of mood swings quickly changing from the nice side to the evil at unexpected times._

_FUIN JUTSU: Ninja Art of Sealing_

-Alatariele C.

in collab with Noetic Sky


	10. Tutoring or not, it's still school

DISCLAIMER:

Naruto is the work of Masashi Kishimoto - Once I had a Sister, on the other hand, belongs to moi.

There are Japanese honorifics and vocabulary scattered around the fanfic (glossary of terms at the bottom for your convenience)

Please read and drop a review at the bottom, and I will love you forever.

* * *

**_Once I had a Sister_**

**_Chapter 9_**

Tutoring or not, it's still school

* * *

Sasuke lurched groggily out of Tsukiyomi-coloured nightmares to a series of loud rings from his doorbell. High-pitched chimes rang loud and long throughout the house, creating an alarm from Hell for any poor victim still in bed. Sasuke strained eyes still sandy with sleep around the walls for some indication of the time. Half past eight. He pulled his limbs from the twisted sheets and staggered to the door.

The doorbell was still ringing when a less-than-pleased, hungry and still sleepy seven year old yanked the door open, intent on blowing up whoever was on the other side. However, Konoha's Last Uchiha got the second wake-up call of the morning when he saw a bright eyed, _grinning _woman at his doorstep.

"Good to see you're up Sasuke-kun," she greeted. "May I come in?"

Sasuke shut the door. An instant later the doorbell was attacked again.

"Who are you?" The boy demanded, mustering all the hate Itachi had given him into a lethal glower.

Haruna, being said grinning woman, wasn't fazed in the slightest and replied with the tiniest tinge of haughtiness, "Your tutor. Now, many I come in?" Without waiting for a reply she brushed past the scowling boy in the doorway and strolled into the apartment like she owned it. "Have you had breakfast yet? Washed up? Prepped for a big day?" she inquired while she made a beeline for the pantry.

Naturally Sasuke was bewildered and by the time he had overcome his initial shock, his visitor had made herself quite at home. Uchihas did not panic, he told himself. Uchiha shinobi took control of the situation. Dark eyes followed the woman as she exclaimed over a unopened packet of doughnuts and chattered on as if he was actually listening. Sasuke squared his small shoulders bravely. He was supposed to handle this quick and calmly and he crossed the sitting room adjoining the kitchen till he stood in front of this unknown female.

"Excuse me… lady… But what are you doing?"

"I'm your tutor," she replied, as if that was completely obvious.

"I don't – I don't _have _a tutor."

Her hands were raised apologetically. "Well you do now! You've missed school for more than a month and Hokage-sama wanted someone to bring you back up to speed and so he called me – and here I am! Your personal teacher!"

Sasuke stood still, mouth agape like a fish flung out of water. It was true that the Hokage had told him he didn't have to go back to school until he was ready, but… what? Haruna ran her eyes over her charge. Mini-Itachi was barefoot, dark rings under his eyes and obviously dragged out of bed before he was ready.

"Why don't you go get yourself ready and we'll start for real after that, okay? I still need to find out just where you stand _intellectually _at the moment."

Dangerously close to losing his composure, Sasuke tried one last time. After Haruna's suggestion she had walked to to the sofa, taking off the backpack he hadn't noticed she was holding until now. Scrolls, textbooks and a panda pencil case peeked through the open zip.

"The Hokage sent me a tutor?"

"Yes. Lucky kid, aren't you?_ I _never got a tutor when I was your age."

"Who are you?"

"Come on Sasuke, don't you remember me? I visited you in hospital a month ago – and dyed your clothes pink at the new playground before that? Remember?"

Sasuke paled visibly. Yes, he remembered both instances clearly. Except… his "tutor" had been in ANBU gear and had her hair in a high ponytail. This time, she was in jounin pants and a black shirt with the sleeves rolled up. But she was grinning and seemed to disregard the solemnity in anything so Sasuke immediately saw the resemblance between the two.

"I'm Wo… Haruna. The name's Haruna," she informed him, extending a hand politely. "Douzo yoroshiku."

Sasuke ignored the gesture. "Is there a last name?"

There was an indignant scoff, coupled with a near-sarcastic response. "What are you, my mom? The name's just plain Haruna. You can call me Haru-chan, Haruna-sama, Haruko, Runa, Runa-senpai…"

Sasuke bolted, racing down the hallway and out the window with impressive speed before she could finish. By the time she'd run out of different nicknames and gotten to the window –which was still pretty fast, considering who she was – Sasuke was a brown shirt disappearing into the hedges next door.

So much for first impressions…

"Oi! Come back here!"

.

.

.

"So how was your first day, Haruna-sensei?" The Hokage asked Haruna as he handed her a glass of water.

"You never told me he was an unsociable brat, so I had a great day thank you. Running around the village trying to find him is always a good way to get to know your student."

"We'll you're going to have to keep trying, child. Sasuke-kun needs your help more than anyone else."

Haruna lifted her head from the counter-top. Of course she knew that, but how on earth was she supposed to befriend a kid who didn't want her help in the first place?

But, she had to admit, the kid was good. Like, Uchiha good. Maybe not Itachi-good – like it was actually possible- but from the knowledge she'd been able to garner from her short introduction in his apartment and the circle of catching up to him, trying to get to an agreement then running off again she had come to one conclusion. Sasuke was clearly a kid who thought his battles out, definitely a smart ninja in the making. Added to that, he had been doing a good job keeping his apartment orderly. Itachi's little brother really did have a plethora of good attributes to his name and the only thing that stopped Haruna from ditching the whole tutoring idea was that she didn't want those talents to be wasted. Monsters were born from vengeance and Konoha did not need any more.

"I understand, Hokage-sama. All I need is time. I'll figure something out soon, I promise."

"You will, I'm sure. And do not lose hope yet. Sasuke-kun loves everything young Uzumaki wouldn't."

* * *

"Oi. Brat. Sit up and listen," Haruna commanded. Her voice was clipped and stern, with a tone not too harsh yet commanding obedience. "Did you hear me? Sit up and listen, this isn't kindergarten."

_Good work Haruna-sensei,_ she thought as she said it. _One doesn't win wars with niceness._ The kunoichi repeated her command, liking the ease with which the words flowed out of her mouth to her now penitent student. The stuffed bunny looked properly cowed - no way was he going to ignore her lessons anymore.

Haruna smiled and gave the Sasuke-bunny and the Sasuke-panda next to him an approving pat on the head. "Now, let's get down to work," she said in her "tutor-voice" again to the inanimate objects, all the while keeping an eye on the clock. She'd be leaving in ten minutes; that gave her plenty of time for another run-through.

Nothing like last minute practice, after all.

* * *

A raven eye glared defiantly at hers from the other side of the table where he'd been for the last half hour.

"So what was the last thing you were learning at school?"

"…How to run without sound."

"Really? That must have been fun, right? Have you learnt any kanji?"

"Some."

"Can you throw shuriken stars?"

"Yes."

"Right. What's your favourite subject at school?"

"I'm not sure. Maybe none."

On and on. She'd try answering nicely and he'd answer with short, monotonous sentences or not at all.

_Uchiha Sasuke_, she wrote on the clipboard she had brought – all teachers had them and she was doing it to look the part. It had nothing to do with the fact that she'd always wanted one - and once again surveyed her automatic pupil. _Seems to have forgotten how to answer with emotion. Possibly hungry now since have been here all morning trying to strike a conversation. Haven't even gotten down to any bookwork yet. At least he hasn't decided to bolt. _

"Uh huh," she nodded, before placing the notes away. "You don't talk much, do you? Tch. You're quiet enough for the both of us." Sasuke was still on the other side of the table, the width of its wooden surface seemingly impassable. The tensed shoulders and guarded expression still remained, as if he'd vowed never to let anyone get through. If she hadn't been in his shoes before she would have gotten angry at her unaccepted niceness - it wasn't as if she particularly enjoyed it either – but the Hokage's voice in her head reminded her of how important this arrangement was.

"You don't need to teach me anything." Sasuke spoke up suddenly at his tutor's thoughtful silence. "Just give me the list of assignments and I'll get them done. I don't need any help."

Haruna ran an eye over his defensive pose, his little chin poking out defiantly. "You don't like me much, do you?"

Sasuke didn't answer but he poked out his chin jutted further. Like, duh? Haruna sank lower in the chair. She was never going to get anywhere at this rate… "Man," she said, past caring whether her student would mind or not, "I wish Itachi was here. Maybe he could give me some tips on how to work with you." Sasuke's head whipped up at the mention of the object of all his unbridled hatred.

Who was this girl to mention hateful aniki's name? The very thought of it made his fists clench in anger at his sides. As far as he was concerned Itachi was gone until the day he would seek him out. If this girl was going to bring him up as if he were just a friend, not a traitorous cold-blooded murderer, then…

"Don't mention that murderer's name again." he said coldly. "Ever."

"Or what?" Haruna challenged coolly. "You won't listen to me? You won't study? So what are you going to do then? Maybe you don't get it - you think the Hokage gave you this apartment _just _because you needed a place? You don't think there are people after you for your bloodline? You're the last Uchiha… well, who's able to be captured." Despite the disturbing darkness of his scowl, even the little Uchiha looked like he was beginning to understand. Or perhaps the information confirmed a few suspicions he might already have been harbouring. Sasuke wasn't stupid, she knew. "Your education has to continue – no questions asked. If you want I can walk out right now and you'll be off to school, and I'm _sure_ that you'll enjoy the pity and whispers and people talking about it when you're around, won't you? Or," here the kunoichi's gaze looked much less like that of a bright tutor and far more like that of the mature, responsible soldier she was, "you can choose to stay under my protection and learn things from me in a way that would suit a smart kid like you."

She stood up, and headed for the door. "Your call, Sasuke. I don't tutor brats."

Sasuke was torn between himself, as both options didn't look agreeable. His tutor was almost to the door. He did not want to face the questions at school. The Uchiha clenched his fists, turning the options over and over… and chose the lesser of the two evils. "Fine," he concurred, slightly miffed that he hadn't thought of another option. "I'll do the work."

"Good!" The serious front melted away and she grinned once more. "We start straight after lunch, and don't forget… you have to call me Runa-senpai. Are we clear?"

"Are you not going to mention Itachi again?"

"We'll work around it. Just as long as you remember your respect, young one."

"Fin- Yes… Runa-senpai."

_Have got him to call me Runa-senpai and agree to tutoring, _Haruna jotted down on her clipboard while Sasuke stalked off to the kitchen for the lunch the lady had left that morning. _Still hasn't laughed or anything... _

_Oh well. It's progress. _

* * *

Iruka fidgeted nervously in front of the Hokage. All he'd meant to do was to politely ask for the official status on Uchiha Sasuke whereabouts – his student had been missing for six weeks, unless he was mistaken. Six. Weeks. If there was an explanation for an absence of that length, the Hokage would have it. Now he was here in the Hokage's office itself, it also seemed that he was in trouble.

If it was about the marking he'd handed in at lunch instead of that morning, he was so sure he'd apologised enough!

"Ahh, Iruka-kun!" The Sandaime greeted. The grandfatherly figure was old enough to call every middle aged jounin ~kun so no one complained. "What brings you here today? Is this about Naruto?"

"Uh, er no, Hokage-sama," the chuunin replied, bowing respectfully. "I wanted to ask about Sasuke – Uchiha Sasuke. Hes been absent for an unusually long time and I haven't had any word as to where he's been."

"Ahh yes. Well my boy," the Hokage seemed to be in a good mood, or at least not stressed. "I've pulled him out of school for the time being and he's being tutored now until he's able to return to class."

"T-tutored, Hokage-sama?"

The Sandaime nodded and a smoke ring blew. "Perhaps you'd like to pay them a visit?"

.

.

.

Sasuke popped a cherry tomato into his mouth as he went on to the last problem on the worksheet.

"Not bad Sasuke, you've only gotten one of these strokes wrong." The kanji worksheet Haruna had finished marking was passed back. There were half a dozen smiley faces on the paper. "Finish that worksheet quickly and we'll do a review."

A week and a half after their truce, life had eased into a something like a routine now. Haruna came at eight in the morning (Sasuke woke up early and hadn't protested) every day, and after a quick exercise to wake him up, they went into two hours of solid study before lunch. Sasuke did not take kindly to the jump-jam radio calisthenics routine she'd bought a while ago for him, so they stuck to morning parkour.

Sasuke's loss had taken away a part of him that nothing could bring back; Haruna had accepted that unguarded smiles and cheerful demeanours were going to be rare to induce from him. Nonetheless the boy studied hard and with determination, which showed in the results she could report back to the Hokage.

There was a knock at the door.

"I'lll get that," Haruna assured him when he stood up. "-you, finish the worksheet."

"Hn."

Iruka's tanned skin immediately flushed when the door opened and Haruna's hazel eyes stared into his questioningly. "Uh… Umm…"

"Iruka? Hey – Sasuke's just inside, come on in."

Haruna went off, leaviing the door open and showing him where he could leave his shoes, and led the way to where his student sat busily working at the table. Iruka followed numbly. The Sandaime had filled him in quickly on the situation and given the directions to Sasuke's apartment without much trouble but he had obviously left the identity of Sauke's tutor a surprise. The very fact that it was Haruna – _Haruna, _no less- left him with his mouth gaping like a fish.

What was he going to say, again?

"Ano… Haruna-san –"

Haruna pressed a finger to his lips and motioned for him to join her in the kitchen. "We'll talk here", she said tilting her head in the direction of her busy pupil. Once inside, she leaned against the counter and turned to Iruka who stood politely beside her. "You were saying?"

"This is a new kind of mission for you huh? You're coping well then?"

"Well, the boy was quite a handful at first, he still is now. But we have settled into a routine… Sort of. I mean we have parkour in the morning, and during the day we go over Kanji, maths and all the other boring stuff we went through as kids. The only difference is the level - he is an Uchiha right? – so I'm trying to give him a bit of a challenge too."

"Pretty impressive Haruna. You can add "World-class Teacher" to your repertoire after this I'm sure" He chuckled.

"Pshhtt, I was forced to do it. Besides," her voice dropped to a low whisper, "the kid's been traumatised more than people give credit for and you know that when word gets around that he's the only Uchiha left, he'll be everyone's target. But still," her tone lightened as she ran a hand over the marble countertop, "the kid's got a nice place to stay in, I'll give him that."

The pineapple-haired chuunin murmured his agreement, although he was really focused on the kunoichi who stood comfortably in the middle of the kitchen. The last time he'd seen Haruna, she was clad in ANBU gear and had her hands full with missions. Now she looked even better than before, despite being busy with her new workload. Perhaps it was the new change of clothes. It was a welcome sight, since they accentuated her figure. And her hair… "Ne, Haruna, your hair –"

"Runa-senpai, I'm finished" .

Iruka bit his lip at the interruption and both heads turned as Sasuke's dark head peered around the doorway, a completed paper in hand.

"Runa-senpai?" Iruka cocked an eyebrow questioningly while Haruna whisked the sheet from Sasuke.

"My new nickname" she winked. Hands in pockets, she tilted her head towards Iruka, whom Sasuke directed a respectful nod to. Iruka was still his homeroom teacher. "Okay Sasuke, take five while I mark your progress and then, we'll go over your times tables with shuriken, alright?"

As the boy disappeared, Iruka began heading for the door."I'm glad he's in capable hands. I'm afraid I should get going, my lunchbreak is almost over."

"Come again sometime if you want to check on him okay!" Haruna called out to him "And yo Iruka! What was that about my hair again?"

"Oh," Iruka paused before the doorway, and called out over his shoulder before leaving.

"Your hair is down for once… it's pretty..."

* * *

"…and so I told Iruka-sensei that he should be teaching the kanji for Ichiraku but he didn't listen to me."

"Did he? That's too bad." Haruna voice was consoling. Twilight had fallen and the two of them sat in Naruto's brightly lit apartment with their backs to the bedroom wall and instant ramen cups in their hands for a makeshift dinner. "Did you do anything else other than calligraphy practice?"

Naruto shook his head and slurped another mouthful of noodles. The greasy, salty smell of ramen scented the room cozily. "We did work like we always do –an' it was boring so I j'st looked outside the window – an' then OH YEAH ME AND HINATA READ A BOOK AT LUNCH – oh, and then Iruka-sensei let us play outside so I didn't feel _that _bad about him ignoring me."

"You read a book? Hinata must be really special to get you to read a book" his elder sister teased him playfully. "It's good that you're still doing your lunchtime study with Hinata, right? Or are you still upset that you're not allowed outside?"

"Nope. Hinata's nice, Haru-ne. Not like other people."

"Ahh. Then she really must be special."

A silence settled between them, broken only with sound of contented eating. Naruto had made dinner for the both of them, anxious to prove that the new brand of ramen he'd bought this week was as good, if not better, than the other one Haruna was loyal too. Cute kid, he'd even cleaned up the place after 'messing around' in the kitchen – although, since he'd spent so much energy cleaning the place up, Naruto had opted not to eat on the table so as to save him from clearing it up again afterwards. Ah well, it still made logical sense and Haruna couldn't help but feel just a little proud that Naruto had put in the effort. Taking the tutoring position had also proved a good choice; she'd been able to visit Naruto without fail every day.

"Mmmm. Nnnn-chhnnn."

"Hmm? And - chew and swallow first though."

Naruto rolled his eyes but counted twenty-four chews before swallowing. "Remember when you said that you would be here every day now?"

Haruna remembered. Naruto had squeezed her so hard she'd been wheezing the next day, much to Sasuke's confusion. "Yup."

"Does that mean you can visit me at school too? Like, at lunch time?"

"Erm… I'm sure I could, but I'll have to come back to you on that one, okay? I don't want to lose my new job, you know."

"What's your job?" He asked, although since his mouth was full it sounded like: "Wahsszz yirr jiirrbb?"

"Did Iruka tell you that Sasuke won't be coming back to school for a while?" Naruto cocked his head but she went on quickly, "He's been in hospital for a while and needs extra help because he might have fallen behind in the lessons. I visit him while you're at school, so that's why I can also come to see you afterwards. Awesome, right?"

"YOU CAN TEACH?!"

"I told you I could do many things, young one."

"B-but Sasuke?" Her little brother almost whined. "Going to school… not at school? LUCKY!" As far as learning was concerned the only place it happened in was at Academy. How did someone actually get to have classes like that? "Why can't I get tutored by you, huh?"

"You know," Haruna explained after noticing the shift in her little brother's mood, "the Hokage only asked me to take this job because he doesn't think Sasuke is going to be good or understand that much in class at the moment. Do you get what I mean? You're going to need a really, really good reason to get pulled out of school like that."

"But I don't understand anything my sensei's tell me and there's never anything cool at school –except maybe lunchtime – and it'll be loads more funner going to school not at school, dattebayo. Can that be a 'really, really good reason'? It'll make my sensei's happy if I went, I know."

"We'll see about it." Haruna said comfortingly although Naruto's words had hit home base. The idea had crossed her mind too, many times when she'd miss the kid's vibrancy because Sasuke was still an onion with really stubborn layers. Could she – would the Sandaime agree to let Naruto come with her as well? It wasn't as if the prejudiced, close-minded shinobi at the Academy or the parents of Naruto's classmates were going to complain. Sasuke also needed someone his age to talk to, he was far too silent and closed-in and the open-hearted spark that was Uzumaki Naruto could only be good for him. For the both of them, that was.

It was a tricky gamble, but putting Konoha's Jinchuuriki and last Uchiha together might actually be a good idea…

* * *

For once Nezumi wasn't in gear, he wore a hakama instead. Soft cotton, the shade of a robin's egg, draped down till it just brushed the tops of his sandals under his matching haori. He looked good, she had to admit. Nevertheless he looked misplaced, standing outside the back door of a restaurant in the outfit – as if he'd worn a tux to a clown-themed party. The NUT trio had been at a tea ceremony before Tora left to cleanse a house somewhere outside a village with Usagi accompanying her like the gentleman that he was. Nezumi had been waiting to speak to a waitress who could help them when Haruna had passed by with the ink and new pens she'd bought.

The day had been eventful enough to feel short. Haruna hadn't had a break since she rang Sasuke's doorbell that morning. It also hadn't been in her plans to meet up with any of the trio –not for a few weeks at the least – but until the current unrest around the five nations eased it was going to be hard to get in to Kirigakure. The village was in need of their services anyway. The mystic Tora-sama's involvement in the ANBU wasn't known by the general public, and the two boys were busy solving mysteries while she was out – Nezumi finding evidence and Usagi analysing. Everyone was still busy either way.

Nezumi quickly filled her in on the word in the streets. Itachi was in the bingo books, there were hideouts all over Kirigakure and the biggest fish – which she wasn't supposed to mention to anyone else – Orochimaru had left the Akatsuki and on the loose somewhere else. The Sandaime's student gone renegade, a member of another trio that was more famous – the Sannin. The old man hadn't seemed happy at the news, according to what Usagi had reported. Orochimaru had left Konoha of his own accord; there was no telling whether he might decide to come back and wreak havoc again.

She also mentioned her new job with "Uchiha's little brother." Being an unexpected mission choice coming from Wolf, it had resulted in a barrage of questions – after Nezumi had gotten over snickering at her of course. Yes, Uchiha's little brother's name was Sasuke. No, he didn't have the tear-troughs. No, the kid didn't seem to like dango. Or sweet things. (Weird…) And no, he got angry the first time she mentioned Itachi. Quite frankly, Sasuke was nothing like his big brother.

"That's probably what the higher-ups want, don't you think?" Nezumi remarked, lounging casually against the brick wall.

"That he doesn't like dango?"

"No. That he doesn't end up in the bingo book someday."

Her pupil had done well that day, addressing her respectfully (the amount of 'Hns' were diminishing slowly) and diligently completing the work she set out for him. She could only hope that things went smoothly, and that it stayed calm just a little longer. "I guess so. Dunno what the higher-ups are thinking anymore."

"Neither. But something tells me that we aren't even at the big part yet."

Haruna agreed, although she didn't the sound of it.

When she got home that night, there was a crow at the window.

* * *

AUTHOR'S NOTE:

So Sasuke's got a tutor now, hip hip hooray. At the moment, and in chronological order to the canon-verse, Orochimaru would have left the Akatsuki by now (because of Itachi joining it) and gone to his obsession with experimenting on others – according to the Narutopedia – somewhere in Kirigakure. The missing kids in the fanfic are the ones who are now test subjects for Kabuto etc. etc.

And uhm, that crow at the window at the end... if you didn't get the hint already I'l give you another one: Itachi's characteristic summon is the crow.

Tora is addressed as Tora-sama by the villagers because, following on to how Kikyo and Kagome are addressed this way by Inuyasha because of their supernatural powers, maidens possessing this ability would be regarded with high respect.

xXx

Nezumi's outfit:

Hakama: A type of traditional Japanese clothing most often worn by men. Kinda like a big skirt but… manlier. ;)

Haori: A lightweight coat worn over kimono like a jacket.

Runa-senpai: Senpai is an honorific reserved for seniors or those older to you .

xXx

Anyways, I hope you enjoyed this chapter!

Please Read and Review!

Alatariele C.

-in collab with NoeticSky


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